Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Apprentice jockey Hayley Hassman kept a good thing going with Ballymore Racing, when Dragon Blossom (5 m Time Test – Brannickers, by Darci Brahma) won the $25,000 Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden Fillies & Mares 1560 metres on 5 December at Rotorua.
Hassman, who made it consecutive wins aboard stable-mate Zerre (Zacinto) recently at Te Aroha, extended her record to four wins and four placed from 10 rides with trainer Pam Gerard.
A mare that Gerard has always had plenty of time for, Dragon Blossom had placed in seven of her 14 starts, including twice with Hassman aboard, and also previously raced well on the course at Rotorua.
Settling off the pace, as is her custom, Dragon Blossom tracked up nicely behind runners approaching the home turn, had to muscle her way out on straightening, but quickened gamely to result in a comfortable one length win.
It was a richly deserved success by Dragon Blossom, who competed well as a three-year-old in the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m), and in addition to the $14,375 winning stake she earned $22,000 in Pearl Series bonuses for connections, trainer, and nominator.
On footing upgraded to Soft5, Dragon Blossom ran 1560 metres in 1:35.4 and paid $5.40 & $1.90 on the NZ TAB tote. The win also gave two-kilo claimer Hassman a race-to-race double, after winning aboard Predominance (Preferment).
“She’s taken time and had a few niggles a long the way, plus a few narrow defeats, and the win was certainly worth waiting for,” Gerard said.
“She doesn’t like wet tracks, so it’s been a matter of finding the right races, and we’ve been targeting the Pearl Series races with her which are always pretty competitive.
“She’d actually been placed in six Pearl Series races and picked but up quite a bit of prize money, but it’s good to finally get a win.
“She ran a super race in the Desert Gold stakes, but went sore in behind after that, and has always had the potential to reach a higher rating.
“We put blinkers on after George (Rooke) rode her into third at Ruakaka, and that has certainly made a difference. If there’s trouble about, she can often get into it, but at the same time she so game.
“It was a good ride by Hayley (Hassman). She going well and puts them in the right place, if they’re good enough.
“Hopefully she can get a few wins and try and find a black type race for her somewhere heading into next year.”
Dragon Blossom was selected by Paul Moroney Bloodstock and bought in conjunction with Pegasus Bloodstock (Allan Fu) for $55,000 at the Karaka 2022 Book 2 Sale, from the draft of Little Avondale Stud.
Standing at Little Avondale Stud, Time Test is a son of the third highest rated stallion in the world, Dubawi (Dubai Millennium), and Dragon Blossom is bred on the same Time Test/Darci Brahma cross as stable-mate Jade Dragon, a winner for the stable in February at Te Aroha, and also selected by Paul Moroney Bloodstock.
The dam of Dragon Blossom, Brannickers won three times to 1600 metres, while grand-dam Nikki’s Bride, by Champion Broodmare Sire O’Reilly (Last Tycoon), did an incredible job to leave 12 individual winners of 39 races.
Dragon Blossom carries a Danehill cross in her bloodlines, on the dam sire line of Time Test and sire line of Brannickers, as the sire of five-time Group One winner and Champion Sire Darci Brahma.
Dragon Blossom was strapped by Samur Singh.