HALF TO LION'S ROAR DELIVERS

Well-related mare Pipsqueak Rose (5 m Alamosa – Minnaleo, by Black Minnaloushe) broke through with an all-the-way victory in the $10,000 Maiden 1600 metres on 14 April at Ruakaka.

The second foal from four-time winner Minnaleo, Pipsqueak Rose is a half-sister to Group One winner Lion’s Roar (Contributer), who finished third last Saturday in the Australian Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m).

Both Pipsqueak Rose and Lion’s Roar were bred by Peter Gillespie, having raced the dam, were prepared and offered for sale by Wellfield Lodge, and each relative bargain buys.

Paul Moroney selected Pipsqueak Rose for owner Rochelle McLaren, a $30,000 outlay, and Lion’s Roar was $65,000 by trainer John O’Shea and his syndication arm Champion Thoroughbreds. The Randwick Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner has now won four races and over $1m in prize money.

The family is well to Moroney, having purchased grand-dam The Mighty Lions (Grosvenor) as a yearling and trained by Mike Moroney to win the Avondale Cup (Gr. 1, 2200m) among six victories.

On a good-looking surface (Dead4), in the race named Ruakaka – NZ’s Best Bet in winter, Pipsqueak Rose was ridden by Kozzi Asano, ran the mile in 1:35.8, and shortened in betting from fixed odds of $12.00 & $3.00 to pay $9.20 & $2.40 on the TAB tote.

“It’s a great result to get a win on the board with this mare,” said co-trainer Pam Gerard. “The pressure went on a bit with the deeds of Lion’s Roar, but I’ve always known she could gallop and she’s shown ability in placing three times before winning.

“We took them (On the Rocks, Petrachor, Salt Bay, and Ali Baba) up yesterday morning and gave them a canter on the beach and swim in the sea, and they did the same again this morning. I think that was good for her and she enjoyed it.

“I’m really pleased for Rochelle. She’s bred quite a few horses, but enjoys racing them now, and every win by this mare certainly adds to her value.”