Rakero Blaze Lights Up In Port Pirie

Pacing-bred trotter Rakero Blaze (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) scored an all-important first stakes victory on Saturday night when taking out the Listed Pirie Trotters Cup (2530m) in South Australia.

The six-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight had an economical trip for much of the journey, sitting with cover in the running line. Heading into the back straight for the final time, stablemate Phoebe Onyx (NZ) (Wishing Stone) opened up several margins on the field and trainer-driver Ryan Hryhorec elected to take chase and set Rakero Blaze alight three-wide.

Rakero Blaze made steady in-roads, but still had three rivals ahead of her turning for home. She showed tenacity to wear down all but All The Trix (Trixton), and while she wasn’t first past the post, she won the race in the stewards room after her rival had taken out several markers at the top of the straight.

With victory, Rakero Blaze brought her win tally to an even 12 in Australia, to go along with her sole victory in New Zealand for former trainer Phil Burrows, for whom she also placed in the Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million 2YO Trot (1980m) behind subsequent Group One winner Highgrove and Group Two performer Wy Fi.

Rakero Blaze hails from a rich pacing pedigree, being a daughter of four-win mare Delizioso (NZ) (In The Pocket), a full-sister to four-time Group One winner Under Cover Lover (NZ) (In The Pocket), and half-sister to Front Cover Lover (NZ) (What’s Next), the dam of six-time Group One winner Bettor Cover Lover (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).

Bred by Woodlands Stud, Rakero Blaze was offered through their 2020 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale at Karaka, where she was purchased by Dawe Contracting Ltd for $30,000.