Whiskey ‘N Roses makes winning return

[Wandering Eyes]

A barnstorming finish by promising four-year-old Whisky ‘N Roses (NZ) (Belardo) saw him open his Spring campaign on a winning note as he downed a handy field of open sprinters in the BCD Group Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa.

The Joanne Surgenor-prepared son of Belardo looked a galloper of real promise during his three-year-old season where he was twice placed at stakes level including finishing second to champion three-year-old Savaglee in the Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m).

Punters kept the gelding well in the market for Saturday’s event where he started a $6.50 third favourite behind last start winner Midnight Edition (NZ) (Midnight Edition) ($2.20), however those odds looked well off the mark when he was back last shortly after the barriers opened with the favourite getting his own terms out in front.

Rider Joe Doyle didn’t panic and allowed his mount to find his feet and although he was still last rounding the home bend, Doyle had him winding up nicely out wide as he set out after Midnight Edition who had kicked clear of his nearest rivals.

Whiskey ‘N Roses produced an undeniable burst as he went straight past Midnight Edition at the 75m, forging clear to win by an ever increasing one length margin at the winning post in a handy 1.13.20 for the 1200m journey on the Heavy 9 rated surface.

Surgenor was delighted with the performance as Doyle followed their pre-race plan to perfection.

“I said to Joe if we just sat back and didn’t get into a speed duel he normally finishes things off well,” Surgenor said.

“I’m blown away though as that was just huge.

“He is a lot stronger and although his trial at Ellerslie wasn’t that good, he improved immensely off it as his coat came right from there.

“I was hoping for a good run but I didn’t expect that.”

Surgenor kept her cards close to her chest when discussing what lay in store for her charge.

“We will get him home and make a plan after we have seen how he pulls up as that was a hard run today,” she said.

“We do have a couple of races in mind, but we need to see how he is as it is a long season ahead.”

Doyle was equally impressed by just how well Whiskey N Roses had finished things off in the concluding stages.

“We thought they would how hard and from the gate we were always going to take our time and try and finish things off strongly,” he said.

“If he had snuck into the top four we would have been delighted but he has been very very good today.

“Jo does good work with him and her horses always look a million dollars.

“We have always thought quite a bit of him and he ran second to Savaglee one day. He seems to have strengthened up and he is a decent horse.”

Bred by co-owners Peter and Sherin Walker, who race him in partnership with Haunui Farm, Whiskey ‘N Roses is out of the Fully Fledged mare Fullinbloom (NZ), a daughter of multiple stakes winner Rodrigo Rose (NZ) who was twice placed at Group One level.

Included in his extended family are three-time Group Two winner Showoroses (NZ) and multiple Australian stakes winner Rosebrook. His fourth win from just thirteen starts has seen him earn over $155,000 in prizemoney for his connections.

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