Third NZ Trotting Oaks winner by Love You

Tough three-year-old filly Con Grazia Love became third winner of harness racing’s $101,750 NZ Trotting Oaks sired by Love You when she outstayed a top field at Addington on Friday night (Nov. 25). She joins Habibti Ivy (2015) and Habibti (2013) as winners of the Group 1 classic.

Starting from outside the second row, Con Grazia Love settled midfield before launching a three-wide bid with 600 metres to go that carried her to the top in the last 50 metres.

She rated a career-best 1:58.2 for the 1980 metres from behind the mobile barrier with the last 800 in a slick 56.3 seconds and 400 in 28.7.

On the same night the Love You three-year-old gelding Highgrove posted his 11^th win from 21 starts with a 1:58.1 effort for 1980 metres, the last 800 in an amazing 55.9 and 400 in 27.4.

Highgrove ($138,496) and Con Grazia Love ($95,768) are the two richest three-year-old trotters in NZ for the season.

Just Believe (Orlando Vici) and Queen Elida NZ (Love You) provided Haras Des Trotteurs with the quinella in the opening heat of the Inter Dominion Championship at Ballarat. Just Believe has won 12 races and $222,863 and is now the richest Australian-bred progeny of Orlando.

Love You, the leading three-year-old sire in both NZ and Australia, enjoyed a huge week with his three-year-old progeny. Other winners sired by him were Nakedtruth (Melton), Florencita, a 1:56.7 winner at Menangle, So Vogue (Globe Derby Park) and Wy Fi (Addington).

Other recent stud-sired winners were Rohaan (by Orlando Vici) and Mum’s Jewel (by Quaker Jet).

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink