NZ-breds chase repeat Launceston Cup victory

A year ago Zavite (NZ) won the Group 3 Launceston Cup in Tasmania and twelve months on a repeat victory for New Zealand-bred horses looks more than feasible with Growl (NZ) and Larry's never Late (NZ) representing the kiwi industry at 6.09pm (NZ time) today.

Growl, trained by David Hayes and to be ridden by Brad Rawiller, is coming off the back of a last start win in the Group 3 Hobart Cup. It was his first victory since winning the Herbert Power Handicap-Gr.2 in October 2006.

By Montjeu - the sire of the current kiwi racetrack starts Wall Street, Tavistock and Passchendaele - Growl was bred by Windsor Park Stud and sold at the 2004 Karaka Premier Sale for $360,000. His dam is The Lions Roar, a Western Symphony mare who won both the ARC Championship Stakes-Gr.2 and the ARC Ladies Mile-Gr.3. Growl is one of two black type winners from the mare, the other being Leeu (by Volksraad), who has won two Listed Races in the South Island.

Mornington trainer Rod Douglas saddled up the New Zealand-bred filly Coulis (by Zabeel) to win Sunday's Tasmanian Oaks-LR. Today he has Larry's Never Late (Pentire ex Laebeel, by Zabeel) contesting the Launceston Cup after a last start fourth to Growl in the Hobart Cup.

Larry's never Late was bred by the Te Parae Trust and was purchased by Robert Roulston at the 2007 Karaka Premier Sale for $77,500.

By Pentire - currently the sire of 27 individual SW - Larry's never Late is one of three winners from Laebeel. She won 7 including the Listed Matriarch Stakes at Flemington and was also placed second in the Caulfield Cup-Gr.1. The third dam is Laelia who won an Adelaide Cup-Gr.1, while the fourth dam is Froth, an Auckland Cup-Gr.1 winner.