VERVE PROVIDES REASON TO CELEBRATE

Bringing the best form, Nerve Not Verve (3 f Shocking – Bilancia, by Montjeu) recorded a promising win in the $10,000 Haunui Farm Maiden 2100 metres on 3 May at Pukekohe.

A half-sister to Auckland Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m) winner and Sydney Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m) placed Glory Days (Red Giant), Nerve Not Verve was purchased by Bruce Perry Bloodstock for $60,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale, from the Curraghmore draft, and racing in the JML Bloodstock colours she is owned by Lib Petagna, Grant Devonport, Simon Moutter, Craig Lindberg, and Max Brown.

Sent forward from a wide draw (12) by Cameron Lammas, Nerve Not Verve took awhile to button off into the back straight before coming back to the rider in fourth. She cruised up unimpeded approaching the home turn, quickened to lead at the 400m and sustained a strong gallop to win convincingly.

On ideal autumn footing (Dead5), Nerve Not Verve ran the 2100 metres in 2:11.1, winning by one and three-quarter lengths, and paid $2.10 & $1.20 as a worthy race favourite.

A filly always held in high regard by trainers Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard, she came from last with an eye-catching debut performance to finish second over 1400 metres at Ellerslie, and followed with a similar effort for second over 1600 metres on the same course, before taking on the best of her age in the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m), Lowland Stakes (Gr. 2, 2100m), and the NZ Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m).

She had worked early and fought hard for second to impressive winner Intrigue (Showcasing) in the 3YO 2100 metres on 7 April at Pukekohe, and very much deserving in victory.

“She ran into a very good one (Intrigue) here last time, but she’s a class act and really deserves it. She’d placed in three of her six starts and I’m pleased for the owners. The dead track looked to be ideal and although in training through the season she remains in very good condition and enjoying her work.

“She’d run a faster last 600m than the winner in the Lowland, and finished strongly for seventh in the Oaks, so we expected a win was due.”

Gerard said that discussions with her training partner could see Nerve Not Verve competing during the Queensland Carnival in Brisbane, joining stable-mates Pinmedown (Pins), On The Rocks (Alamosa), and She’s A Thief (Showcasing), that left Friday morning (3 May), and Za Za Gabor (O’Reilly) preparing to fly next week.

“I’ll have a chat to Mike,” she said. “He always likes to get them over to Brisbane, and she handles wet tracks, but we will just wait and see how she pulls up. She can be a little hot-headed, which held up the early part of her career, and I don’t want to push her too much as I think she’s a beautiful staying mare and a half to Glory Days, so she’s got it all in front of her.”

Gerard was also full of praise for rider Cameron Lammas. “He rode her positively, got her to switch off in a lovely spot and he’s riding really well. He rode Pinmedown beautifully to win for us last Saturday at Te Rapa, and it’s rides and wins like this that set the horses confidence levels up to be competitive in Australia.”

Cameron Lammas said: “We were drawn out and had to work forward. She got a bit fired up and started hanging down the back, but she’s shown she’s capable of winning races and she did. She is fit, that’s why I got going quite early on her and she held them all off easily”.

Nerve Not Verve was strapped by Yogesh Rao.