Smart Kiwi Bred Mare for Begg

Media Release - Wednesday August 29

Promising O'Reilly mare Our Libretto has kept her undefeated Australian record intact after storming home late to win the Ladbrokes Multiverse Handicap (1600m) by a length at Sandown on Wednesday.

Our Libretto as as yearlingThe five-year-old's trainer Grahame Begg has a lot of time for the mare, but said she is still learning her craft.

"She is still learning and she's very untapped, she doesn't know what it's all about yet," he said. "But she loves these big tracks."

Our Libretto was victorious on the same track in her only other start in Australia last month, where she won impressively by nearly three lengths.

Begg said the lightly raced mare would now head to Flemington next month and he believes she is up to the challenge.

"We have picked out a race at Flemington in about three weeks' time," he said. "There's an 1800m mare 78 rated race and that was the reason why we held her back from her last start.

"We gave her a gap between runs because we knew that race was coming on towards the end of September."

Formerly trained in New Zealand by Tony Pike, Our Libretto was off the racing scene for a year before resuming with Begg, who cited maturity issues for her raceday absence.

"I think she had a few niggly issues and feet issues," he said. "She had immature knees and they wanted to get her over those sort of things and she came into work with me at around Christmas time.

"She has been in work a long time, it has been a long process, but we are seeing the results now and she is pretty untapped.

"She's a lovely mare and I think she's got a great future."

Our Libretto was purchased out of Waikato Stud's New Zealand Bloodstock 2015 Premier Yearling Sale draft for $400,000 by Waikato bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Esti Feny Triumphs in Mornington Cup
Former Hungarian Horse of The Year Esti Feny (HUN) added Saturday’s $300,000 Listed Sportsbet Mornington Cup to his wins in the Listed Gosford Cup, Hungarian Derby and Hungarian St Leger while earning a golden ticket for the Caulfield Cup.
9YO Green Luck Wins G3 Canterbury Gold Cup
The trend of big wins for lower-profile stables during Riccarton’s autumn carnival continued in the Gr.3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) on Saturday, where well-travelled veteran Green Luck delivered a career highlight for Timaru trainer Stephanie Faulkner.
Frosted Gelding Bustling Dazzles in Karrakatta Plate
Bustling announced himself as the best 2-year-old in the West when he dominated from start to finish in Saturday's $500,000 Group II Amelia Park—Karrakatta Plate at Ascot.
Kiwi Breeders Celebrate Brutal Doncaster Victory
The Matamata thoroughbred community celebrated another Group One victory on Saturday when Brutal took out the Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick.
Pride of Dubai 3YO Wins Listed Hareeba Stakes
The Grahame Begg stable was in hot form on Saturday winning the Group I ATC All Aged Stakes at Randwick with high class mare Magic Time and also  the $200,000 Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington with talented Pride of Dubai three year-old Maharba.
Almanzor Filly Wins G3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes
Underrated three-year-old filly Moonlight Magic employed a barnstorming finish from last to secure a valuable stakes victory when she captured the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie in spectacular fashion.
First Stakes Win for Shamrocker Brother
Remarkable Kiwi broodmare Bohemian Blues produced a fourth stakes-winner on Sunday to go with her earlier star progeny Shamrocker, Rock Diva and Bohemian Lily.
Second G1 Victory for Hellbent Mare Magic Time
Quality mare Magic Time has won a stakes race every time she’s been sent to Sydney by Grahame Begg and with deteriorating conditions at Randwick on Saturday for the $1.5million ATC All Aged Stakes (1400m) the daughter of Hellbent powered out of the gloom to run down Amenable and win by half a length.
Brutal Back But Is He Everest Bound?
Newgate Farm purchased an interest in Brutal after he won the Group 1 Doncaster Mile in April and the decision to keep the handsome son of O’Reilly in training as a 4-year-old looks set to pay off bigtime following an impressive return to racing in Saturday’s $500,000 Group II Premiere Stakes (1200m).
Sacred Capital the King of Macau
Raffles Racing's New Zealand-bred Sacred Capital has quickly stamped himself as the star of Macau Racing, with the son of O'Reilly winning Sunday's M$800,000 (NZ$155,000) Macau Gold Cup (1800m) in effortless fashion in testing conditions.