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Ellerslie return for Rondinella; NZB graduates shine at Sha Tin

Ellerslie return for Rondinella

Quality mare Rondinella  will be back in action at Ellerslie on Saturday where she will contest the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) for trainers Roger James and Rob Wellwood.

The five-year-old daughter of Ocean Park has been off the scene since a three-start Melbourne spring campaign, which resulted in seconds at Group Two and Group Three level and a last-start eighth in the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 9.

"She came back from Melbourne very jarry and muscle sore everywhere," James said.

"She's right again now, but the 1400m will be too short for her on Saturday.

"We'll make a decision after the race where she goes next. She'll probably go straight over 2000 metres.

"She could run in the New Zealand Stakes (Gr.1, 2000m) at Ellerslie again. She got knocked from pillar to post in it last year and still ran third to Melody Belle and Danzdanzdance. It was top effort."

Meanwhile, stablemate Concert Hall, winner of the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) before a last-start fourth in the Gr.3 City Of Auckland Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie, will also be travelling to Auckland track on Saturday.

"She's going to have an exhibition gallop then go back there for the Avondale Cup (Gr.2, 2400m) on February 15," James said. "She'll probably have a trial at Matamata between times."

NZB graduates shine at Sha Tin

New Zealand Bloodstock graduates went close to taking out the two feature races in Hong Kong on Sunday night.

Former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation, a graduate of Highden Park's 2014 yearling draft, went close to winning the Gr.1 Steward's Cup (1600m) and proved he is still a force to be reckoned with at the highest level.

He put in a brave front running performance before being run down on the line by Waikuku.

"I think he's the right horse to take to Dubai – that will be the main target now if we can convince the Kwok family to take him," Beauty Generation's trainer John Moore said.

"He was gallant in defeat. Our boy is on the slow fade but is capable of running a big one in Dubai if we get the go-ahead.

"The 1800 metres there (Gr.1 Dubai Turf), putting him on the other leg, I think it would really rejuvenate him and he won't meet Waikuku in Dubai so the trip would be the best way forward."

Later in the card Prima Park's Ready To Run Sale graduate Beat The Clock completed back-to-back wins in the Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m).

"Good horses always know where the finish line is and they know what they're being asked for, which is to cross that finish line first," jockey Joao Moreira said of Hong Kong's champion sprinter.

Beat The Clock is likely to target the Gr.1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) next.

"It's the next race on the programme that's suitable for him," trainer John Size said. "He's raced in the last two editions of it so we'll see how he is at home; he's getting older and whether he can tolerate another race that quickly I'm not sure but he'll let us know."