Mo’unga Boosts Group One Invercargill Cup Claims

Mo’unga (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) has the Group One Invercargill Cup (2700m) firmly in his sights following his dominant victory in the $36,500 Group Three East West Fencing Summer Cup (1980m) at Addington on Friday night.

The Regan Todd trained star led and never gave his rivals a chance of catching him in his brilliant display for driver Robbie Close.

Friday night’s victory proved to be the perfect lead-up to Invercargill’s biggest race after Todd’s initial plans for his NZB Standardbred graduate went pear-shaped.

“We were going to the Geraldine Cup last week but had to scratch him so we only went for this race because I wanted to give him a run before Invercargill next week,” Todd said.

“It couldn’t have worked out better and we will head there next week, as it has been one of his big goals all campaign.”

Mo’unga heads south after proving his worth at Group One level in the New Zealand Cup (3200m).

The pacer made a costly error at the start of the great race before staging an epic recovery, charging home into sixth placing.

Mo’unga made a brilliant beginning to set up his prior win in the Group Two Kaikoura Cup (2400m) and a repeat of that effort should make him one of the horses to beat at Ascot Park on Friday.

Mo’unga was purchased by Phil and Glenys Kennard’s PI & GJ Kennard Bloodstock Ltd when he was offered by Breckon Farms at the 2020 National Yearling Sale at Karaka.

Secured for $100,000, the Kennards race the outstanding five-year-old with Jim and Anne Gibbs, Gary and Keryn Woodham, Cameron Kirkwood, the Breckon Racing Syndicate, with Todd also sharing in the ownership.

Among their outstanding draft, Breckon Farms will offer a close relation to Mo’unga at the upcoming National Yearling Sale at Auckland on February 15, 2025.

Lot 68 is by Lazarus (NZ) from a half-sister to the star pacer in Yea Baby (NZ) (Somebeachsomewhere).

Mo’unga combined with Renegade (NZ) (Captaintreacherous) to produce a quinella for Breckon Farms in the Group Three Summer Cup (1980m) at Addington on Friday night.

Renegade was secured by Tony Hickman Bloodstock at the 2022 National Yearling Sale at Karaka for $47,000.

A close relative to Renegade in Lot 22 is also among the Breckon Farms draft at the National Yearling Sale at Auckland.

The filly is bay Tall Dark Stranger (USA) from Goodlookinggirl (NZ) (Christian Cullen), a half-sister to the dam of Renegade.

NZB Standardbred graduates filled the trifecta in the Group Three Summer Cup with Invercargill Cup contender Republican Party (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) taking third.

 

Vendor	Breckon Farms
Purchaser	PI & GJ Kennard Bloodstock Ltd
Breeding	Bettor’s Delight – O Baby Bay Colt
Sale	2020 National Standardbred Yearling Sale, Auckland $100,000
Breeder	Breckon Farms