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The Bambry family affinity with the Wanganui Guineas continued on Saturday as their maiden filly Alcaldesa sprang a major upset to claim the Listed event.
Bred by Chrissy Bambry along with her parents Tony and Judith through their Mangatiti Trust, Alcaldesa followed in the footsteps of her older half-brother Lord Turbo who also made the Guineas his first stakes company triumph with a win in 2013.
The pair have both outstripped their dam, Sitting On A Hill who finished fifth in her attempt at the early season classic back in 2006 while the Bambry trained Acquisto ran third in 2014 edition of the contest.“It is a race we have targeted over the past few years and we have enjoyed some really great results,” explained Chrissy Bambry.
“It is only about three quarters of an hour up the road for us so we treat the race as being on our home turf and it’s always nice to do well at home.”Success in the race has also set the Bambry owned broodmare Sitting On A Hill on a path to success that saw a Rip Van Winkle son of the City On A Hill mare sell for $220,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale Series at Karaka earlier this year.
“The family raced Sitting On A Hill who was a handy galloper with a record that probably didn’t do her justice as she only won the one race but she did run creditably in some of the good three-year-old events,” noted Bambry.“We kept her as a broodmare and her first foal was Lord Turbo. He was a super galloper and was on-sold to Hong Kong after he had run fourth in the Wellington Guineas.
“Her next foal was Alcaldesa who is by Fairdale Stud stallion Nom Du Jeu. We were always keen to send her to him as he was a terrific horse and such a beautiful type.“He is also a local and it was good to support him as he was just kicking off his stud career.”
The success of Lord Turbo on the track and his subsequent sale also paved the way for the Bambry’s to increase the potential commercial value of their mare through a mating with Rip Van Winkle.“The opportunity was there to upgrade the mare so we took the chance with Rip Van Winkle who is another stallion we just loved. That gamble paid off with the result we got at Karaka this year so we’re hoping that can continue with the path we’ve taken since then.”
Subsequent to the Rip Van Winkle colt, Sitting On A Hill produced a filly by Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park who will sell at Karaka in 2016. After missing to Rip Van Winkle last season the mare will visit another Waikato Stud product in Sacred Falls this year.“With two stakes winners from the first two foals in the family it really is a dream come true,” said Bambry.
“Now we just have to see just how far Alcaldesa can go after such a wonderful start. We have always thought she would be best on a better track so there is a lot to look forward to over the next few months.“Each year we dream about having an Oaks winner so you never know this could be the one!”