Ruakaka Running Double

Congratulations to the connections of Imagine and Giovanna Bella - promising gallopers who provided the stable with a running double at Ruakaka on Wednesday.

Appreciating the return to a better track after failing to handle heavy going at her previous outing, Imagine recorded the second victory of her six start career - and she did it in style.

Working hard early, sitting wide until eventually making her way to the lead, the lightly raced four-year-old was challenged by a wall of horses in the straight - but she just kept kicking!

Holding them all off to score by a determined ¾ length, Imagine showed herself to be a nice staying type in the making with both of her victories to date coming over 2100m.

"It was a very tough win," Chad Ormsby said - "everything had their chance to beat her and she just kept fighting them off."

Raced by Rachel Groube with Anne & Terry Mosse-Robinson, Imagine is a daughter of Don Eduardo and the unraced Groom Dancer mare Dancin Belle, a half-sister to the dual Group One winner Wonder Dancer.

We did not have to wait long for our next winner, Giovanna Bella (pictured) breaking her maiden in game fashion.

Having only her third start, the three-year-old Iffraaj filly enjoyed a nice run behind the leaders on the rails - getting into the clear early in the straight.

Like Imagine, she was challenged in the run home but was able to show great heart winning by half a length at her first run over 1600m.

"She was the best horse on the day," said Ormsby, adding that he is confident that Giovanna Bella has more to offer.

"She will definitely go on with it over further," he said.

Raced by Tony and Gianna Muollo, Giovanna Bella is a half-sister to the Melbourne based triple city winner Moonloushe out of a 3/4 sister to the dual Group One winner Love Dance.

Hopefully our winning run will continue on Saturday with Xalted lining up in the Auckland Co-Op Taxis Handicap over 2200m.

Drawn nicely in barrier four for Trudy Thornton, the Pentire six-year-old is suited by a step up in distance second up from a spell.

"The track conditions may not be ideal for him," Ormsby said, "but he can handle some sting out of the ground."

"He has improved a lot in fitness and he should be running on well - hopefully into the money."