Stephen Marsh posted a winning double at Te Aroha with a pair of Wentwood Grange-bred gallopers.
Debutant Raggedy Doll picked up a cash bonus for her connections when winning the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1200m).
The four-year-old daughter of Hallowed Crown and Group One winner Miss Raggedy Ann had six trial starts on her record before her trip to the races and despite showing a lack of ringcraft, finished the best in a four horse field.
“She has been a slow maturing filly and has always been a bit green and that showed again today,” Marsh said. “She jumped and went to the front and tried to run off the track a little bit, then got lost coming around the turn a bit.
“Then she knuckled down to the task really nicely and it was good to get a Pearl Bonus.”
Two races later Global Currency was impressive winning his 1600m contest by just over eight lengths.
The Tavistock half-brother to dual Group One winner Kermadec was having his second start, coming off the back of an unplaced run at Ellerslie in September.
“He is a horse we have always thought a hell of a lot of,” Marsh said. “He has shown us heaps and we paid a lot for him at the sales. If you go through his owners there is a big team, Peter Vela, the Inghams, it is a big team of good owners.
“It was good to see him win his maiden like that, 1200m last start was too short for him. He won beautifully today.
“He is a horse we do think will go through the grades and potentially be a Cups horse.”
Both Raggedy Doll and Global Currency were bred by Wentwood Grange under their Llanhennock Trust banner and sold through their 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock draft as yearlings.
Marsh went to $320,000 to secure Global Currency while Raggedy Doll was knocked down to syndicator Go Racing for $150,000.
Unfortunately Miss Raggedy Ann, dam of Raggedy Doll, died this season due to foaling complications. Her Astern filly was successful fostered onto another mare is continues to develop into a lovely looking youngster.
By Faltaat out of the multiple race-winning Gold Brose mare, Miss Pollyana, Miss Raggedy Ann was the first Group One winner for Wentwood Grange.
Offered at the 2007 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, she was passed in at $55,000 with a $70,000 reserve which in hindsight was a blessing.
Raced by the Hawkins family and trained by Andrew Scott she won seven races including the 2011 Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie.
In 28 starts she won seven races and placed on nine occasions including the Gr.3 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) and the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m).
At stud she produced seven foals including, five-time Hong Kong race winner Keep Moving (Darci Brahma) who was sold for $110,000 as a yearling, the ill-fated race winner Jessie May (O’Reilly), Raggedy Doll (Hallowed Crown), her 2017 Ocean Park colt was purchased by Michael Hickmott for $40,000 and last year her Darci Brahma colt sold to Upper Bloodstock for $220,000.
