Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie continued a spectacular first season as trainers with the wins of Guiseppina and Ebullient at Awapuni on Saturday.
The former jockeys have won 21 races ths season, including the group three $100,000 Darley Plate with Amaryllis and the $80,000 Taranaki Cup with Our Ella Belle.
Ramsay and Ritchie are training for the Vela brothers, Peter and Philip. Ramsay, who served his apprenticeship with Kelly Thompson at Longbush, has prepared horses for the brothers for four years. He took the opportunity to take up the official training role this season when Mark Walker shifted to Singapore.
Ramsay and Ritchie are based at Maungatautari, near Cambridge, on the property established by Laurie Laxon, who also trained for the Velas. The Melbourne Cup winners, Empire Rose (1988) and Ethereal (2001), have been trained at the property.
Guiseppina was having her first start in open ranks. The 4yr-old Johar mare has won four of her six starts.
"We will see how she is this week but we are hoping to back her up in the Breeders' Stakes at Te Aroha next Saturday," Ramsay said. "The mile should suit her." Guiseppina has won up to 1400m.
Ebullient has won two of his four starts and finished second in the other two.
"It is his first preparation and I will give him a bit of time off now and aim for races in the spring."
Ebullient is the fourth foal of Ethereal, who won the Caulfield Cup in 2001 when trained by Sheila Laxon.
Ramsay and Ritchie have Kudamm in the listed $45,000 Manawatu Breeders' Stakes at Awapuni on Friday. Kudamm ran Platinum Princess to a long head in the South Island Breeders' Stakes on March 26.
She remained at Riccarton after the race.
The stable has Dolmabache earmarked for the listed Warstep Stakes at Riccarton on April 16. Dolmabache won a 1675m maiden at Paeroa in January. She is a filly by Redoute's Choice from Our Echezeaux, a sister to Grand Echezeaux, winner of the Australasian Oaks and dam of Darci Brahma. It is the family of Ethereal.
