B D Joe clinches maiden Group One title

NZB Standardbred graduate B D Joe (NZ) (Roll With Joe) dug deep to deliver a tenacious and thoroughly deserved maiden Group One win at the Harness Jewels held at Cambridge Raceway on Sunday.

The Steve and Amanda Telfer trained pacer was close to being headed in the last 100 metres of the $100,000 3YO Emerald (1609m) by star colt Krug (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) before fighting back to win for driver Ben Butcher.

The result went the other way when Krug led and B D Joe chased him home along the passing lane in $200,000 Group One Diamond Creek Farm New Zealand Derby (1600m) at Addington in April.

Before that, B D Joe was narrowly denied in by It’s All About Faith (NZ) (Captaintreacherous) in another brave effort in the $138,000 Woodlands Stud Sires Stakes Final (1980m) on New Zealand Cup Day at Addington.

But on Sunday, B D Joe would simply not be denied a deserved Group One title when pulling out all stops in the lucrative feature.

The future looks bright for the classy pacer now that he has tasted elite success.

The star three-year-old could prove even harder to beat once he returns from a well-earned spell.

“I am really looking forward to giving this horse a decent break,” Steve Telfer told HRNZ.

“I think he will come back a stronger horse and ironically because he needs a break that last 30 metres was the part of the race I was worried about and that was when he kicked back.

“After a really long break, I’d love to take him to Aussie next season with the major aim being a race like the Chariots of Fire,” Telfer said.

B D Joe was secured for $65,000 at the 2019 National Yearling Sale in Christchurch by Stonewall Stud from Laura Smith’s draft.

Krug will touch down in Australia more immediately in the hope of continuing his already remarkable three-year-old season for trainers Cran and Chrissie Dalgety.

The star pacer has secured an invitation to contest the Group One $A250,000 The Rising Sun at Albion Park on July 10.

Krug was followed across the line by a big lineup of graduates who contested a fascinating running of the 3YO Emerald.

Incredibly, every starter in Sunday’s lucrative feature Group One was sourced from the NZB Standardbred sale ring.

Hot And Treacherous (NZ) (Captaintreacherous) flew home out of the pack from a hopeless position to take third.

Ragazzo Mach (NZ) (Mach Three) fought on bravely to take fourth after working hard in the race’s middle stages.

American Dealer (NZ) (American Ideal), Shan Noble (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) and Raven Banner (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) were next across the line in a thrilling finish.

NZB Standardbred