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The New Zealand flag flew high at Caulfield on Saturday when Karaka graduate Legless Veuve edged out La Luna Rossa in an all-Kiwi finish to the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude.
Legless Veuve, by Pins, is trained by Stuart Webb in Victoria while La Luna Rossa comes from the NZ stable of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.
Legless Veuve was bred in NZ by Waikato Stud, who offered her at the 2015 NZB Karaka Premier Sale where she was purchased for $150,000 by Aquanita Racing.Saturday’s win was the second in four career starts for Legless Veuve, whose dam is the O’Reilly mare Hyades.
Hyades has produced four winners from seven foals to race with Legless Veuve joining G3 winner Tootsie as her second stakes performer. She is a three-quarter sister to Maggie O’Reilly, the dam of G3 winner No Excuse Maggie, and a half-sister to La Rose Noir, Listed winner Urbane and stakes-placed pair Double Roy and Habaine.Hyades has a 2YO colt by Savabeel who was sold at this year’s NZB Premier Sale for NZ$170,000 to a Hong Kong buyer. She is due to foal this spring to Ocean Park.
Legless Veuve is the 71st stakes winner for Pins, headed by eight G1 winners.Pins is enjoying an outstanding run with his three-year-old fillies, having sired the quinella in last week’s G3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings.
La Luna Rossa, by Written Tycoon from the More Than Ready mare Wild Promises, is raced by her Kiwi breeders Jomara Bloodstock.She won last season’s G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes and started this season with a second in the Listed O’Leary’s Fillies’ Stakes at Wanganui.
Wild Promises is a half-sister to four winners including the Listed winner Red Fez.