Blanchards Cherish Special Group One Moment

Beetastic (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) unleashed a sensational burst of speed to win the $102,000 Group One Caduceus Club Two-Year-Old Fillies Classic (2200m) at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

The NZB Standardbred graduate gave the leaders a massive head start on the home turn, when second last and angling widest before being asked for her best.

The two-year-old didn’t let trainers Peter and Vaughan Blanchard or driver Peter Ferguson down when flashing home from her hopeless spot for a stunning Group One victory.

In doing so, Beetastic delivered the Blanchards a moment they will never forget.

The win handed Vaughan Blanchard his first Group One training win, while his brother Kyle is in the ownership of the filly.

“It is a big buzz, a massive thrill with both of the boys involved,” Peter Blanchard said.

Beetastic was offered by Woodlands Stud at the 2023 National Yearling Sales in Auckland.

The filly was subsequently purchased and syndicated by the Blanchard stable among a big group of owners.

The Blanchards were attracted to Beetastic’s pedigree after training her half-brother and fellow NZB Standardbred graduate Hugotastic (NZ) (Sweet Lou).

The two-year-old was let go at massive odds despite two strong efforts against older horses in her first two starts.

Rather than being lesser form, as punters may have assumed, those runs gave the filly the perfect preparation for her first Group One tilt, according to Peter Blanchard.

“She had a big advantage over these fillies, she had two 2200m races and good, hard 2200ms.”

“A lot of these fillies have been racing over 1700m, so I think that that stood with her today.”

The Blanchards clearly had faith in Beetastic when they paid a late entry fee to get into Friday night’s Group One event.

The stable may have to consider doing something similar as they plan their next move with their star filly.

“She isn’t paid up for the Sires’ Stakes so I’d say she will probably stay up here and be aimed at the Golden Gait series, but she is paid up for everything next season,” Vaughan Blanchard said.

Beetastic headed an NZB Standardbred trifecta in the Caduceus Club Two-Year-Old Fillies Classic, with Always B Magic (NZ) (Always B Miki) second and Without You (NZ) (Captain Crunch) (NZ) third.

Im Sandra Dee (NZ) (Always B Miki) was fourth and Won And Only (NZ) (Captaintreacherous) fifth, rounding out a top-five finish for NZB Standardbred graduates.