Talented filly Grey Haze earned her connections a lucrative payday in claiming the inaugural Entain – NZB Insurance Pearl Series Final (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Loyal sponsors NZB Insurance in partnership with the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Entain revamped the Pearl Series this season, with all race bonuses doubled, alongside the introduction of the $100,000 Pearl Series Bonus Final, which offered a $70,000 cheque to the winning connections on top of the race earnings.
A daughter of Dalghar, Grey Haze displayed her ability early claiming a Pearl Series Maiden contest over 1200m in December, defeating subsequent Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) placegetter Qali Al Farrasha.
The Stuart Manning-trained filly encountered a couple of luckless performances through the summer period but looked to be back to form when finishing a close-up third behind New Millennium at Taupo, with that runner subsequently placing in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m).
After opening with TAB bookmakers at $8.50, punters showed confidence in Grey Haze and backed her into joint-favouritism at $4.50 with fellow three-year-old Imperial Empress, and the filly instilled confidence settling in the box seat third under Jasmine Fawcett.
Tracking the leaders into the home straight, Grey Haze burst into winning contention and sustained a tough gallop to fend off a late-closing challenger in Modernise by ¾ of a length, with 61kg top-weight I Choose You finishing in third.
Fawcett had partnered Grey Haze to a trial win prior to her debut and was pleased that the race had panned out as she had hoped.
“I knew the horse was really well and she would suit being on top of the ground. I knew if I got a good run, I’d be right in it,” Fawcett said.
“She just got a wee bit far back last time, and today we were a bit handier, which really helped.”
Tauranga-based Manning revealed post-race that the filly had encountered some soundness issues through her campaign but was full of confidence ahead of Saturday’s assignment.
“I’m not often very confident, but we were today,” he said.
“She ran third at Taupo after being off the scene for 37 days, and two of those weeks were with a foot she couldn’t put on the ground. She’d lifted somewhat from there, and we thought she’d be able to win today.
“She (Fawcett) gets on well with the horse, she won a trial on her so she may suit her.”
Out of the Stravinsky mare Vinskible, Grey Haze was sold via gavelhouse.com for $2,500 as a yearling to Robert Good, and has earned $46,040 in stakes from seven race-day appearances, in addition to the $70,000 winning bonus from Saturday’s Final.
“I wish I was walking away with the bonus,” Manning quipped. But it’s great.”