Hinemoa impresses at Australian debut

Spring action is really hotting up now and it was great to cheer home a stakes winner on one of the carnival’s biggest race days – Hinemoa impressive taking out the Listed Northwood Plume Stakes at her very first Australian start.

Always well regarded by the New Zealand team, the daughter of Elusive City got out to nice odds but was always travelling well for Lisa Cropp – settling mid-field before pealing out to make her run in the home straight.

“She travelled beautifully the whole way,” Cropp enthused – “I was really happy with her and her action was perfect and over the final stages she dug really deep – she was always going to get there.”

Having ridden the lightly raced six-year-old in track work and a jump-out a couple of weeks ago, Cropp was confident – “I kept saying to Mike that ‘this thing just flies!’”

Carefully handled due to ordinary front leg conformation, Hinemoa was considered Gr.1 class in NZ but missed out a run in the Telegraph Handicap as emergency – problems with her feet also impeding her preparation.

But, having always raced well fresh, Hinemoa was able to record her second black type victory and Moroney is now hopeful that she can measure up in even better company – “it would be nice to get a Gr.1,” he said.

The Myer Stakes on Derby Day is the race pencilled in and we wish her owners Christopher & Susanna Grace the very best of luck.

Hinemoa, who has now won five of her 14 starts, is a half sister to the NZ bred American stakes winner Lady Annaliese out of the winning Grosvenor mare Titania who was also raced by the Grace family.

This is a strong NZ family, its members including the Telegraph winner Morar, the SA Derby winner Clear Prince and the WA Derby winner Crown Prosecutor.