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Riccarton Park has become a happy hunting ground for graduates of Cambridge thoroughbred nursery Pencarrow Stud, which was further enhanced last week through the deeds of Mehzebeen.
The daughter of Almanzor kicked off New Zealand Cup week with victory in the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) before backing up seven days later to take out Saturday's Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m).
"It was a real thrill to win a race like the New Zealand Cup, which is still one of the iconic races on the calendar," Pencarrow Stud Manager Leon Casey said.
"To see her in such good form was really good. She seems to stay so well."
Casey said victory in the race has brought the farm, which is owned by Sir Peter Vela, to a near perfect record in all but a few of the Christchurch track's feature races.
"We have had a really good association with Riccarton," Casey said. "Part of the thrill of it is I think we have won just about every stakes race down there short of the Stewards and Grand National. The New Zealand Cup is a really good one to put on top of all of those."
Mehzebeen was offered through Pencarrow's 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft and was purchased by Waikato Hospital radiologist Xavier Kos and his wife Beatrice Hild under their Sarai Stud banner for $50,000 on the advice of Danny Rolston, who also entered the ownership of the now five-year-old mare.
Entrusted to the care of Te Akau trainer Mark Walker, who now trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson, Mehzebeen was runner-up to Pennyweka in last year's Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and has gone on to win five and place in three of her 19 starts, and has accrued more than $470,000 in prizemoney to date.
Casey said Mehzebeen hails from a strong family but has been surprised by her staying prowess.
"She was always a quality filly and a really good type," he said. "We didn't necessarily think that she would stay quite this far as there is quite a bit of speed further back in the pedigree. She was a lovely type who was well found and purchased by Danny Rolston and his group."
Mehzebeen is the daughter of Zabeel mare Salkantay, a half-sister to Group Two winner Te Akau Coup and stakes winner Don Garcia, who has also left stakes performer Smiling Touch.
"The second dam, Beyond The Sunset, we imported her in-foal to Danehill, with a large group of mares back in 2003," Casey said.
"It has been a really good family. There have been a Matamata Stakes winner (Te Akau Coup) and a Wellesley Stakes winner (Don Garcia) in the second dam. It's a bit of a way from that form to winning a New Zealand Cup."
Pencarrow have sold Salkantay to the Springmede Breeding Partners, who have subsequently bred colts by Eminent and Vadamos, and the mare is set to foal to Almanzor.
"She is 18 now so it was just a function of consolidating the mares. Once they get a bit of age on them you have got to look fairly hard at them," Casey said.