NOTHING IMAGINARY ABOUT PURE FICTION

Richly deserved, Pure Fiction (4 m Wrote – Close To Me, by Stravinsky) bolted away in the $17,000 Waitomo Fuels Maiden 1400 metres on 17 April at Rotorua.

Fighting well for third after leading the Maiden 1400 metres on 27 March at Matamata, Pure Fiction had finished second in each of two starts prior over 1400 metres at Taupo, and having performed well on the course previously she rated a top three chance.

Co-trainer Pam Gerard, who trains the mare with Mike Moroney, had been quite bullish in her pre-race appraisal when saying: “We’re trying something a bit different by taking weight (3kg) off her back to see if that’s what it takes to find the line.

“She’s been going super races without picking up the winning spot, so hopefully the weight relief will be the difference.

“She’s pretty genuine, very well, jumping out of her skin, the track conditions should be ideal, and although drawn wide (11) I find that is often not a bad thing at Rotorua.

“We know she likes to roll along in or near the lead and should be able to do that from out wide.”

Ridden by Jess Allen (a3), winner of the Most Promising First Year Apprentice Jockey last season, Pure Fiction crossed nicely from barrier 11 to lead, travelled kindly with a handy advantage and while rivals were off the nickel at the 400m her action remained impeccable when striding clear to win by five and a quarter lengths.

On footing downgraded to Slow7 after race two, Pure Fiction ran 1400 metres in 1:25.9, last 600m in 35.4 (approx.), and held firm in betting to pay $5.00 & $1.90 on the NZ TAB tote.

“It was a really good ride by Jess, and while the ability has always been there she (Pure Fiction) has just taken awhile to click on,” Gerard said.

“She’s quite opinionated, wanting to do things in not quite the right order and pretty dominant around the paddock.

“I thought last week in her work that she’d taken things to a new level, and the form around her was strong. She’d just been meeting one better in each of her last few starts.

“Mikey (Thompson) suggested we try something a bit different with a weight claim, and Jess had ridden her in the first start back in this campaign and did a really good job on her to finish third at Rotorua.

“Mike’s sister Sue (Moroney) and her partner Shane Vugler are in the ownership, along with Grant Devonport in Australia, who has lots of horses with us, and Adrian Mathieson from Christchurch.

“Now that she’s got such a good confidence building win, I’d expect she can go on with it.”

By Group One winning Highview Stud stallion Wrote (High Chaparral), who recently sired his first Group One winner when Pulchritudinous won the New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m), Pure Fiction was selected by Paul Moroney Bloodstock, from the Highview draft, and purchased by Ballymore Stables for $30,000 at the 2021 Karaka Book 2 Sale.

The first foal from a mare by leading broodmare sire Stravinsky (Nureyev), she has a host of talented gallopers in the family including What Can I Say (Khozaam), Only Words (End Sweep), Invader (Snitzel), Not Listenin’tome (Dylan Thomas), and Mabeel (Savabeel).

Pure Fiction carries a bloodline cross through her sire lines to immortal sire Northern Dancer.

Pure Fiction was strapped by Leelu Singh.