The 2024-25 New Zealand racing season began on a perfect note for Pencarrow Stud on Saturday with Jay Bee Gee (NZ) (Complacent) winning the first black-type race on the calendar – the $110,000 Group Three Winning Edge Presentations 127^th Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton.

Jay Bee Gee was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and was offered by Bradbury Park in Book 2 of Karaka 2019. He was bought for $26,000 by Harry Bull, who shares ownership with his father Adrian and late mother Robyn. From a 20-start career, Jay Bee Gee has now recorded six wins and four placings and earned $175,135.

Jay Bee Gee and jockey Kelly Myers were prominently placed throughout Saturday’s big race, then threw down a challenge to the front-running Bradman (Pins) at the top of the straight. That rival fought back strongly, with Freeze Frame (NZ) (Vadamos) joining in down the outside, but it was Jay Bee Gee who stuck his neck out right on the finish line and snatched a tenacious victory by a nose.

“I’m just so over the moon,” Myers said. “I can’t explain how happy I am for Adrian and his family. Robyn will be up there looking down on us.

“They are great family friends of ours, and they’ve been huge supporters of myself and Rosie (Fell, sister). We love winning a maiden race in these colours, so to win a Winter Cup for them is very special.

“I didn’t think we were going to get past Bradman, he put up a really tough fight. I think Warren (Kennedy, riding Freeze Frame) helped us more than anything, finishing down the outside.

“I was just really quietly hopeful cantering back. I thought it was a dead heat and I would’ve been happy with that, but to get it on our own is just awesome.”

Jay Bee Gee is out of Pencarrow’s remarkable mare Huluava (NZ) (Pins), who is the dam of nine winners from nine foals to race. Jay Bee Gee is now the second stakes winner in that group, joining the dual Listed winner William Wallace (NZ) (Darci Brahma), while Huluava’s daughter Hirondelle (NZ) (Sepoy) is herself the dam of Group One winner Pignan (NZ) (Staphanos).

Jay Bee Gee’s half-sister and stablemate Harmonious (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) completed a stellar day for the Bull family and Pencarrow when she won the very next race on the Riccarton card, the $35,000 Group 1 Raceday Party 14 September Rating 65 (1600m). The six-year-old mare has now had 13 starts for two wins, four placings and prize-money of $49,495.

Photo credit - Race Images