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posted on 2 February, 2020

First Stakes winner for Sweynesse

A powerful finishing burst carried lightly raced filly Bonita Aurelia to her first career victory when she downed the favourites in Saturday’s Group 3 Woburn Farm 2YO Classic (1200m) at New Plymouth.

In breaking her maiden status, the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained two-year-old also provided Novara Park stallion Sweynesse with both his first winner and first at stakes level with her gritty performance.

Well favoured when making her raceday debut back in October, Bonita Aurelia was trapped wide that day and jostled badly in the closing stages before finishing a weakening fifth.

Given plenty of time to get over the experience the filly trialled nicely at Matamata in mid-January before lining up for her second start on Saturday. Rider Danielle Johnson gave her a cosy run in midfield throughout before issuing her challenge midway down the home straight.

Bonita Aurelia is the third foal of useful racemare Cassie May who was also a winner as a two-year-old. She was a bargain buy for her owners who paid just $500 for her as a weanling at the 2018 Karaka May Sale, with her win adding $43,750 to her prizemoney earnings along with some valuable black type for any future breeding career.

There was also plenty of synergy in the result for race sponsors Woburn Farm who sold the highest priced Sweynesse yearling during the National Sale at Karaka this week when they received $120,000 for a colt from Savont, the dam of the promising Vigor Winner, on the second day of the Book 1 session.

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St James Timeform

Says of King of Comedy :

The Group One G1 St James’s Palace Stakes is the sire making race whose winners include King Of Comedy’s own sire Kingman as well as Frankel, Shamardal and Giants Causeway. While recent second placegetters of the race include current rising star sires Night Of Thunder and Toronado.

RaceNet - www.racenet.com.au/profiles/horse/press-statement

Says of Press Statement :

Given that it has won at Group One level and has amassed $1,832,275 in career earnings, Press Statement is regarded as an elite class of racehorse.

Kerrin Mcevoy - Jockey

Says of Sweynesse :

"He’s been pleasing us at home but we were worried about the ground and also he was meeting a good field first-up, I had to ride him a bit steady from the gate but he was electric when I asked him to go."
"He’s a nice, big colt with a lovely relaxed attitude and a very good turn of foot."

James Mcdonald - Jockey

Says of Sweynesse :

"He was awesome. We got back in a slowly run race so his (sectional) splits
would have been amazing."

Hideaki Fujiwara - Champion Trainer Japan

Says of Staphanos :

“Staphanos had outstanding ability showing speed and stamina. He was mentally and physically tough. I expect his progeny to be the same!”

Michael Cox - Former South China Morning Post and now The Age racing writer saw Staphanos in the flesh on the track and in his impressive morning workouts

Says of Staphanos :

"Staphanos is a horse of substance, mixing toughness and a no-nonsense temperament in a career in which he raced and beat some of the best Japan had to offer. What a coup by Luigi Muollo and Novara Park to secure this stallion and what an incredible opportunity for New Zealand breeders to send mares to such a highly credentialed son of Deep Impact. He has the looks, pedigree and racetrack performances to be a hit at stud. He could be a real game changer and just the type of stallion New Zealand needs."