Consistent mare Chantilly Lace (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) carried the colours of Horowhenua to a thrilling victory in the feature race at New Plymouth, the ITM New Plymouth Interprovincial (1600m).
The unique contest sees runners discard their traditional silks in favour of the colours of the region they represent with the red, white and blue of Horowhenua adorning the Chrissy Bambry-prepared runner who has been a model of consistency during her current preparation without managing to find the winner’s enclosure.
With most races on the day dominated by those in or near the lead, many felt the five-year-old could be disadvantaged by that pattern however rider Chris Dell made good use of an inner barrier (5) to have her sitting sixth against the rail as McKhan (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) went hard in front.
Dell was hard at work on the mare turning for home and she shot through one off the fence to snatch the lead at the 250m before forging clear to defeat race favourite Zanzibar (NZ) (Zed) and Urenui (NZ) (Derryn) in a thrilling finish to the contest.
Bambry was close to tears as she accepted congratulations from well-wishers after the final placings were announced.
“She is just a wicked little mare and to me she was the best horse in the race,” Bambry said.
“She has just got so much black type and we had set her for this.
“Chris (Dell) knows her and gave her a really good ride.
“She is a tough little nut who loves racing. She wasn’t quite right at Hawera last time and pulled up a little sore so we freshened her up and rated her for this which worked out well.
“I was pretty confident going into it and really happy now.”
Dell was quick to pay tribute to Bambry who has provided him with several important race wins.
“Chrissy and the team have been great to me although, ironically, I don’t win a lot of races for them unless they are Listed or worth big money,” he said.
“She (Chantilly Lace) has won two-year-old races and right through and was really well placed today.
“The conditions came up to suit her and although she is a bit of an enigma and doesn’t jump out of the barriers, which I found out three starts ago, today she jumped first and put herself in the race.
“I was surprised how well she travelled and when I gave her a couple with the stick she has pricked her ears and won very well.”
The Bambry family and bloodstock agent Paul Moroney paid $66,000 for Chantilly Lace through the Valachi Downs Dispersal Sale, conducted on the Gavelhouse.com platform.
She has now won five races, including twice at Listed level, from 42 starts and over $318,000 in prizemoney.
