Curraghmore graduate You're Welcome was back in the winner's circle on Saturday after taking out the Dunstan Feeds Stayers Championship Qualifier (2100m) at Ellerslie.
Touted as an improving stayer by trainer Jamie Richards, You're Welcome will now prepare for the Dunstan Feeds Stayers Championship Final (2400m) on the same course on New Year's Day.
After pressing forward from a wide gate You're Welcome was caught wide at the post with a lap to run, but jockey Troy Harris retained his composure and made his move with 600m to go, wearing down those in front to win by a head.
“He was given a lovely ride by Troy and it was a good tough win,” Richards said.
“He didn’t have a lot of luck a fortnight ago at Tauranga, and it looked ominous again being stuck wide, but he’s a genuine stayer and we’ll give him a bit of time now, which he enjoys, before the Dunstan Final.”
Bred by Roncon, You're Welcome is from the first Australian bred crop of a Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in Europe and Great Britain, Camelot.
He was sold as a yearling through Curraghmore's 2017 NZB Select draft, and then returned to the auction ring later that year in their Ready To Run draft when purchased by David Ellis for $200,000.
“It was a massive thrill to win with You’re Welcome because a lot of his owners are also in Sneaky Shark, who quinelled the two-year-old race with our filly Millefiori,” Ellis said. “And, some of the boys that own Te Akau Shark are also in the horse.
“Paul Gallen and Steve Mace, from the Cronulla Sharks, and one of our best clients, Jim & Pauline Hepburn, are also in the horse so it’s a real thrill.
“You’re Welcome is another good horse I’ve bought from Curraghmore Stud, a farm that produces some terrific horses and I’ve really liked the progeny of Camelot. I saw him in Europe. He was a fantastic racehorse that won two Derbies and already sired over 50 stakes winners.”
Further south, four-year-old gelding No Compromise continued his good run of form posting a win at Wanganui over 2040m
The half-brother to Group One winner Tofane was bred by Gordon Cunningham and purchased by trainer Bill Thurlow out of Curraghmore's 2018 Book 1 draft.
No Compromise was coming off the back of a last-start second at Waverley earlier in November and has now run in the money in all bar one of his six starts this campaign.
