Signify (NZ) (Perfectly Ready), who cost just $5,500 at the 2013 South Island Sale, upstaged a star-studded field of sprinters for a career-defining victory in the Group 1 $250,000 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham on Saturday.
Ridden by Racha Cuneen, the five-year-old gelding stormed down the outside of the track and caught last-start Group 1 Railway Stakes (1200m) winner Start Wondering (NZ) (Eighth Wonder) right on the finish line to win by a nose.
Signify is trained at Ashburton by Alex "Snooky" Cowan, who bought him at the South Island Sale in partnership with his wife Tracey.
"He's my wife's horse," an emotional Cowan said after the race. "This is unbelievable. We've always thought he could win a good race, but he's been a bit of an interesting horse and he's often been a bit too keen and tripped himself up by over-racing.
"We decided to have a crack at this race after he ran a good race for second in the Mosgiel Stakes (1200m) at Wingatui. This is great."
Signify was bred by the Hawkins family's Llanhennock Trust, who offered him at the 2013 South Island sale under their Wentwood Grange banner.
He has dwarfed his $5,500 purchase price, winning eight of his 30 starts to date for prize-money earnings in excess of $300,000.
The first Group I winner for Perfectly Ready, Signify is out of the Stravinsky mare Pica Pica (NZ). She has produced two winners from two foals to race, the other being the Group 1-placed Karaka graduate El Sicario (NZ) (Bullbars).
| Vendor | Wentwood Grange |
| Purchaser | Mr AM & Mrs TL Cowan (Ashburton) |
| Breeding | Perfectly Ready – Pica Pica |
| Sale | Lot 32, 2013 South Island Sale of 2YOs & Mixed Bloodstock, $5,500 |
