New Zealand racing produced a strong weekend of results across several international venues, with Well Written extending her unbeaten record at Ellerslie Racecourse while other NZB graduates also recorded notable victories. The Written Tycoon mare claimed the $400,000 Group One PROISIR PLATE (1400m) at Ellerslie Racecourse, while Blind Raise, Pounce, Bu Xuan Er Zhan, Platinum Emperor and In A Pickle added further success in New Zealand, Australia, China and Malaysia.
Well Written Extended Her Unbeaten Record
Well Written maintained her perfect record with another Group One victory in the PROISIR PLATE (1400m) at Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday. The four-year-old had faced older weight-for-age opposition for the first time but handled the challenge with authority, taking her career record to seven wins from seven starts and pushing her earnings beyond $2.84 million.
The mare had been purchased for $80,000 by Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock from the 2024 NZB National Online Yearling Sale. Her latest victory increased her earnings to more than 35 times her original purchase price and further strengthened her record at the highest level.
Trainer Stephen Marsh had admitted to some concern about facing older mares, particularly when Alabama Lass issued her challenge in the closing stages. Well Written responded strongly when required and drew clear, with Marsh later crediting her rival for making the contest a genuine test.
The victory also placed Australia firmly on the horizon. The Group One Epsom Handicap (1600m) and the A$10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) had been identified as possible targets, with Marsh indicating that the mare would remain in New Zealand until closer to the Epsom before travelling to Sydney.
Jockey Cartwright had partnered Well Written in all seven of her starts and was again aboard for her latest success. He said she had travelled comfortably before being taken wider than intended, but her acceleration in the straight quickly settled the outcome.
Blind Raise Added Another Stakes Success
Karaka 2025 graduate Blind Raise returned to the winner’s circle with a strong performance in the A$175,000 Listed MCMAHON’S DAIRY MCKENZIE STAKES (1300m) at Sandown Racecourse. The Ace High three-year-old had made an immediate impact on his return to racing, taking his record to three wins from four starts and increasing his earnings to A$258,725.
Blind Raise had been bred by The Oaks Stud and offered in Book 1 of Karaka 2025, where trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young secured him for $70,000. His Sandown victory provided another indication of his ability to compete at stakes level during his three-year-old season.
The stable had considered withdrawing him because of the weather and track conditions, while he had entered the race with only one trial since his previous appearance in Brisbane. He nevertheless handled the conditions effectively and delivered a convincing performance.
The Group Three Guineas Prelude (1400m) and Group Two Stutt Stakes (1600m) had subsequently emerged as possible targets for Blind Raise, giving the gelding further opportunities to build on his successful return.
Pounce Opened Filly of the Year Series
Pounce made an immediate impression in the 2026-27 NZB Filly of the Year Series when she won the $150,000 Group Three AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI SUNLINE VASE (1200m) at Ellerslie Racecourse. The Almanzor filly collected six points from the opening leg, while Silhouette earned three points for second and Dream Roca received 1.5 points for third.
Pounce had been purchased by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott for $110,000 from the Book 1 draft of Cambridge Stud at Karaka 2025. Her latest victory gave her two wins from four starts and lifted her earnings to $111,950.
The result represented further success for Wexford Stables in the series. The stable had previously won the title with Molly Bloom in 2023-24 and Ohope Wins the following season, while Pounce had subsequently been considered for the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.
The second leg of the series, the $150,000 Group Three GOLD TRAIL STAKES (1200m), had been scheduled for Hastings on September 26.
NZB Graduates Recorded Overseas Victories
The weekend’s success extended beyond New Zealand, with NZB graduates also producing significant results in China and Malaysia. At Yulong Racecourse, Bu Xuan Er Zhan won the 1 million RMB NZB 2YO KARAKA STAKES (1200m), adding another international success to the NZB graduate record.
The Proisir colt had been purchased for $60,000 from the Haunui Farm draft at the 2024 National Weanling Sale at Karaka. NZB representatives Andrew Seabrook and Alex Teng attended the meeting and presented the trophy to the winning connections.
At Selangor Racecourse in Malaysia, Platinum Emperor captured the RM300,000 NZB OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (1400m). The Sweynesse gelding had been offered by CH Bloodstock Ltd in Book 2 of Karaka 2021 and purchased for $29,000.
Platinum Emperor had previously established a strong record in Macau, where he won eight of 26 starts and accumulated the equivalent of more than NZ$320,000 in prize-money. His latest success marked a return to winning form and provided a potential pathway towards the Selangor Gold Cup on September 27.
Well Written Collected Major Awards
Well Written’s weekend became even more significant when she was named New Zealand’s Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old for the 2025-26 season at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards in Auckland.
The honour followed her Group One success at Ellerslie Racecourse by less than 24 hours. During her three-year-old campaign, Well Written had won all six of her starts and earned $2.61 million before adding another Group One victory to her record.
Another NZB graduate, Legarto, received the Champion Middle-Distance Horse award. The Proisir mare had completed her career with 12 wins from 24 starts, five minor placings and $3.16 million in prize-money.
The Williams family received the NZTR Award for Outstanding Contribution to Racing, while the late Savabeel was recognised with the NZTR Award for Outstanding Global Achievement. Savabeel had been associated with 36 individual Group One winners and 159 stakes winners during his influential career at stud.
In A Pickle Secured Jericho Cup Place
In A Pickle completed another successful chapter for NZB graduates when he won the $40,000 NZB AIRFREIGHT ROAD TO JERICHO (3210m) at New Plymouth Racecourse. The Preferment gelding secured a guaranteed place in the A$300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool on November 29 by winning the first of two New Zealand qualifying races.
In A Pickle had originally been purchased for $4,000 from Wentwood Grange’s Book 2 draft at Karaka 2020 before later changing hands for $6,250 through Gavelhouse.com. His victory took his record to six wins, three seconds and four thirds from 37 starts, with earnings of $127,315.
The second New Zealand qualifier had been scheduled for Riccarton on October 24, while connections were subsequently left to decide whether In A Pickle would make the trip across the Tasman for the Jericho Cup.
Well Written remained unbeaten with another Group One success at Ellerslie Racecourse, while Blind Raise, Pounce, Bu Xuan Er Zhan, Platinum Emperor and In A Pickle delivered further notable victories for NZB graduates across New Zealand and overseas.
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