Unbeaten New Zealand three-year-old Pareanui Bay could be set for an autumn campaign in Australia after an outstanding effort to win the Listed Trevor and Corallie Eagle Memorial over 1,500m at Te Aroha on Saturday, 27 November.
By Lonhro out of SAJC Fillies Classic winner Okahu Bay, Pareanui Bay backed up his two grinding victories at Te Rapa last month - one at G2 level - with another tough performance.
Jockey Michael McNab cooled the gelding up to race outside second favourite La Crique from the jump before Pareanui Bay again showed his grit to hold off Flash Mary and La Crique in a driving finish.
Trainer Tony Pike is no stranger to targeting feature Sydney and Melbourne three-year-old classics and Pareanui Bay looks to have inherited Lonhro’s ability to absorb pressure and fight to the line.
A champion of the Australian turf with 26 wins from 35 starts and $5.79 million in prizemoney, Lonhro has sired nearly 100 Stakes winners - including Kementari and Mirra Vision in Australia this season.
Lonhro has nearly completed the latest southern hemisphere season at Kelvinside, NSW, where he stood at a fee of $66,000.
