CAESOUR

In Australia, Dane Julia, a dual Gr.1-winning daughter of Varsfontein Stud’s veteran sire Caesour, added to her already impressive resumé when third, beaten a length, in the Gr3 Blazer S (1400m) at Flemington. Trained by Lee Freedman, the now 6yo is one of 3 winners produced by the Danehill mare Precious Julia.

Gr1 win in NZ for SA's Dane Julia

Dane Julia stormed from off the pace and posted a neck victory over favorite Shanzero in the US$117,180 New Zealand Bloodstock Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (NZ-G1) on Saturday at Te Aroha.

The South African Gr1 winner, who is trained in Australia by Lee Freedman, raced down the center of the course and into contention at the 300m mark to edge Gr3 winner Shanzero in the most important stakes in New Zealand for fillies and mares.
Dane Julia got a perfectly timed ride from jockey Michael Walker and covered 1,600 m (7.95 furlongs) in 1:34.30 on turf rated as good while earning her first win in 11 starts since joining Freedman's barn.
She rebounded from an 8th-place finish in the Patinack Farm S (Aus-G3) on March 14 at Flemington after recording a creditable 3rd-place finish in the TBV Mannerism S (Aus-G3) on February 21 at Caulfield.
Shanzero held on for second, one length in front of Veloce Bella, who rallied from strongly to finish 3rd in the 18-horse field.
Dane Julia, a 5yo Caesour mare, won her first 5 starts in her native South Africa, incl. the 2007 Bollywood Festival SA Fillies Classic (SAf-G1), for trainer K. R. Maroun before a majority interest in her was sold to Australian owner Sean Buckley. She subsequently was transferred to Freedman, who's based in Melbourne.
"She was an expensive mare, so it's great for the owners to win this race," Freeman told www.racingandsports.com.au. "She's a pretty decent mare, but she hasn't always had the best of luck."
Conversely, Walker was fortunate while pig hunting last May when a pig strapped to his back provided cushioning when he fell off of a cliff, www.virtualformguide.com reported. Saturday's win marked the first at the highest level since he returned to race riding in December.
Dane Julia is out of the Danehill mare Precious Julia.

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