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A smart ride by Lee Magorrian aboard Delveen repaid the faith shown in the apprentice by trainers Peter and Dawn Williams.
Despite not being able to claim in the Stella Artois 2100 Handicap, the 20-year-old retained the ride at Ellerslie on Saturday and he turned in a polished display to bring about the downfall of the commanding favourite Graphic.
Magorrian, who had ridden the mare into sixth place in the Gr.3 Waikato Gold Cup last time out, sat at the back of the field on the former Australian-trained mare.He took advantage of a rails run in the straight and they finished well to comfortably account for the pre-post Gr.2 Platinum Homes Wellington Cup favourite Graphic.
Delveen had been winless at Ellerslie in three previous attempts and her performance was an encouraging effort with a future view toward the Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup. She is currently a $26 chance for the March 4 feature.A daughter of Encosta de Lago and the Gr.1 Easter Handicap winner Calveen, Delveen placed in one of two appearances for Caulfield trainer Peter Moody before coming to New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Rosemont Stud enjoyed further success when the former Golden Slipper contender Shelford opened his New Zealand account in the More FM Open Handicap.Seventh in the Australian Group One feature in 2012, he began his career in Sydney with John O’Shea and joined Tony Pike’s Cambridge yard last year.
Placed in the Listed Counties Bowl two runs back, Shelford is raced by Raffles Farm with the Victorian stud, whose colours are carried by the current Gr.1 TV3 New Zealand Derby favourite Volkstok’n’barrell and the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic runner-up Sardaaj.