New Zealand Gr1 For Mellifont
Floydeboy powers to upset victory in Easter Handicap. Floydeboy was the upset winner of the $147,600 ($200,000 New Zealand) First Sovereign Trust Champions Mile/Easter Handicap (NZG1) at Ellerslie racecourse on Saturday.
Sir Slick was chasing his fourth Group 1 success of the season in the 1600m (7.96-furlong) race for three-year-olds and older with Fiscal Madness and Final Reality considered dangerous contenders.
Sir Slick led briefly from Sarajay and Tom Tom Cat, until overtaken by longshot Floydeboy under jockey Mark Hills.
In the stretch, Floydeboy was challenged by Dezigna, Polish Princess, and Gaze, but dug in to earn his first Group 1 win by a neck in 1:37.80 on a track rated slow.
Dezigna finished 11/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Polish Princess. Gaze was another three-quarters of a length back in fourth, followed by Sarajay.
A seven-year-old gelding, Floydeboy is trained by Bernard Dyke for B. W. and M. W. McDonald. Floydeboy is out of Fleche D’Or, by Northerly Native.

CHAMPIONS MILE/EASTER H. (NZ-G1)
ELLERSLIE, New Zealand, April 14, $147,600, 3&up, 1,600mT (7.95fT), slow, 1:37.80.
1st—FLOYDEBOY (NZ), Ch. g. 7, Mellifont—Fleche D’Or (NZ), by Northerly Native. Owner—B. W. McDonald and M. J. McDonald; Breeder—Karamu Land Co. (NZ); Trainer—Bernard Dyke. $88,560.
2nd—DEZIGNA (NZ), B. g. 7,Volksraad (GB)—Label Basher (NZ), by Conquistarose.$28,782.
3rd—POLISH PRINCESS (GB), Ch. f. 4, Polish Precedent—Repeat Warning (GB), by Warning (GB). $14,022.
Margins: neck, 1 1/4, 3/4

Gr3 2nd for Mellifont
MERIAL METRIC MILE (NZ-G3) AWAPUNI, New Zealand, September 15, $71,310, 3&up, 1,600mT (7.95fT), dead, 1:35.82.
1st—BONJOUR (NZ), B. g. 7, Frenchpark (GB)—Buyers Dilemma (Aus), by Full On Aces (Aus). Owner—M. D. Moretto; Breeder—I. W. Baker, W. F. Richardson, and M. A. J. Sellars (NZ); Trainer—Karen Zimmerman. $42,340.
2nd—FLOYDEBOY (NZ), Ch. g. 8, Mellifont—Fleche D’Or (NZ), by Northerly Native. $13,549.
3rd—SPIN AROUND (AUS), B. g. 7, Spinning World—Be Yourself, by Noalcoholic (Fr). $6,774.
Margins: neck, 1/2, head
Mellifont stands at Rosedene Styd.

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