Zenno Queen a timely purchase

Zenno Queen, owned by White Robe Lodge stud managers Wayne and Karen Stewart, has taken on value as a broodmare through the deeds of her first surviving foal, New York Minute. The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained New York Minute won the listed $65,000 Opunake Cup (1400m) at New Plymouth on Saturday following success in the listed $50,000 Tauranga Classic, a weight-for-age 1400m for fillies and mares.  The Stewarts bought Zenno Queen (Zenno Rob Roy - Joie de Vivre) at a mixed sale at Karaka in May, 2015 when she was in foal to Nadeem.

"I liked that she (Zenno Queen) was by Zenno Rob Roy, a son of Sunday Silence and out of a Zabeel mare. "The family has a good mix of speed and staying blood" said Karen. Zenno Rob Roy was the 2004 Japan Horse of the Year after winning three group one races, comprising the autumn triple crown as a 4yr-old. He shuttled to New Zealand from Japan as a sire. Sunday Silence won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Breeders Cup Classic in 1989. He was leading sire in Japan a record 13 times.

New York Minute, then trained at Levin by Ilone Kelly, won her first start as a 2yr-old at Waverley two and a half months after the Stewarts purchased Zenno Queen. New York Minute was sold as a weanling for $15,000 by Little Avondale Stud.  Her second foal is a 3 yr old by Nadeem, named Codecracker.  She was a recent winner from the Kelso Stable in Matamata.

Zenno Queen left a filly by Nadeem in 2015. Sold as a yearling for $28,000 at the 2017 South Island sale and named Indian Rani, she is due to begin racing from the Ballarat stable of Darren Weir.

Zenno Queen left a filly by Ghibellines in 2016. The rising 2yr-old has just been bought by the Katrina Marie syndicate and she is in work at WRL.

Zenno Queen left a filly by Gallant Guru last spring and she is due to foal to Raise The Flag.

Sollevare, a 2yr-old by Raise The Flag, was an impressive first up winner over 1755m at Geelong on July 15. He is trained at Ballarat by Matt Cumani, who has Etah James (by Raise The Flag), winner of the group three Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) at Morphettville in March.

Sollevare, bred by John Clapham, is out of Avoid, a Cullen mare who won four races in the South Island when trained by Michael Pitman.

Gallant Guru was represented by winners Somethings Burning ($35,000 1200m at Oamaru, NZ), Champagne Friday (Echuca, Australia) and One More Again ($NZ38,000 Macau, 1500m) in the past week. It was the ninth win for the Steven Woodsford -trained Somethings Burning and took his stake earnings to $107,725.

Necessitas. A 2yr-old filly by Zacinto - Off The Essence, bred by Brian and Lorraine Anderton, ran third over 1800m at Flemington on Saturday.

WRL has sold two Raise The Flag 2yr-old geldings to Australia in recent weeks. A full brother to Civil Disobedience (Tasmanian Derby) has gone to Jon Sargent in Sydney. Sargent has won with the son of Raise The Flag, The Mist.

A full brother to Chequered Flag (six wins) has gone to Victorian trainer Paul Preusker.