Group One next for Bedtime Story

[Wandering Eyes]

Hawke’s Bay mare Bedtime Story (NZ) (Per Incanto )has earned another crack at elite-level following her victory in the Shane Stone Builders Open (1340m) at Wanganui on Saturday.

The Per Incanto mare settled in the trail behind Cooper (NZ) (Tivaci), and while jockey Bruno Queiroz elected to stick to the rail aboard the frontrunner when turning for home, the remainder of the pack, including Kelly Myers on Bedtime Story, veered to the outside of the track for better footing.

Cooper looked to have stolen the race on the inside, but Bedtime Story just got her nose in front on the line to record her fifth career triumph.

The five-year-old, who carries the colours of breeder Henrietta, the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, was freshened following her last start at Trentham in early January and made a winning return in her 1000m trial at Foxton earlier this month, giving trainers Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos plenty of confidence ahead of her fresh-up run.

“It was a terrific trial the other day so I was just hoping that she would back that up and she has,” Lowry said. “Today was a good effort under a good weight (60kg).

“I think she is better in the autumn this mare, she has got good ability, and she is really coming into her age.”

Bedtime Story is now set to return to elite-level in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Trentham in a fortnight.

“She is going really well so we will (go to the Breeders’ Stakes),” Lowry said.

Bedtime Story will bid to improve on her half-sister Dragon Queen’s (NZ) (Sweynesse) fourth placed run in the race four years ago, with the daughter of Sweynesse having also won the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) and placed in another edition of the Westbury Classic as well as the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m), and two editions of the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m).

Their second dam Snap (NZ) was a standout on the track, winning 11 races, including the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), and Gr.1 Waikato Draught Sprint (1400m), and was crowned Joint Champion Three-Year-Old and Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of her year.

Bedtime Story has inherited the family talent and has posted five wins from 21 starts and has placed in the Listed ANZAC Mile (1600m) and Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m), and has earned nearly $200,000 in prizemoney.

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