Dolmabache’s Group 2 Triumph


The Redoute’s Choice mare Dolmabache made it a unique stakes double for Pencarrow Stud at Te Rapa on Saturday with a brilliant victory in the $100,000 Group 2 Travis Stakes (2000m).

The stakes win came on the same card as a victory by Dolmabache’s brother in blood Burgundy, winner of the Group 3 Windsor Park Breeders Stakes (1200m).

Bred and raced by Peter & Philip Vela and trained at their facility at Maungatautari by Steven Ramsay & Julia Ritchie, Dolmabache (Redoute’s Choice x Our Echezeaux) settled near last in transit for jockey Darryl Bradley who rode the mare patiently in the race.

Still near last at the 600 metres and entering the straight, Bradley was forced to bring Dolmabache across heels to find racing room. Once she was clear, the four-year-old mounted her challenge, wearing down the pack and lunging right at the post to win by a short head.

“We were confident coming into the race as her run in the Manawatu was very good,” said Ramsey, referring to her fifth placing over the same distance fortnight ago.

“She came from the back of the field after missing the jump and flew home running the last 600 metres in 34.67 seconds, the fastest sectional in the field.

“She is developing into a nice mare and she has come on leaps and bounds since coming back to New Zealand from Australia. She will continue to develop over the next few months and will be a very nice staying mare as a five-year-old.

“We will have to sit down with Peter and Philip and discuss where to now but I imagine it will be the paddock and then back next season. A race like the Group 1 Zabeel Classic would be a nice race for her.”

The Group 2 victory was the first stakes win for Dolmabache who has shown a good deal of promise during her short career. Breaking her maiden at her fourth start in January last year, the mare made a return to the winners’ circle in Australia in the spring at Ballarat. Her career tally now shows 17 starts for three wins, two placings and over $90,000 in stakes earnings.

Dolmabache is a blood-sister to the $1.3 million colt Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice x Grand Echezeaux) who contributed to a unique day of success for Pencarrow Stud as he won the other black-type race at Saturday’s Te Rapa meeting, the Group 3 Windsor Park Breeders’ Stakes (1200m).

Dolmabache and Burgundy, both being by Redoute’s Choice, are from full sisters Grand Echezeaux and Our Echezeaux, both by Zabeel, daughters of Pencarrow Stud’s foundation mare Richebourg.

Dolmabache is also a sister to the exciting two-year-old filly Pure Elegance who won her only start at Waipukurau this season by five-and-a-half-lengths.

Our Echezeaux foaled a colt by High Chaparral in 2011 and was served by Makfi last season.