Nadege retired

Listed Wairarapa Breeders' Stakes winner Nadege has been retired after suffering a tendon injury during the running of the Westbury Classic at Ellerslie on Saturday.

The five-year-old Giant's Causeway mare out of dual Gr I winner Champagne won five of her 21 starts and already had huge value as a broodmare, prompting owner Bob Emery to call time on the Scott Lucock-trained Nadege's career.

''The injury is mild but considering her immense value as a broodmare I have decided not to risk her further,'' Emery said.
''Scott Lucock has done a wonderful job with her by bringing her through the grades and achieving an all-important stakes win last month. She will now be let-down and will probably be sent to Australia in the spring to be mated with a top stallion.''

Meanwhile, Graeme Rogerson will take advantage of De Los Angeles' liking of the Ellerslie track to back the Al Akbar five-year-old up in Saturday's $35,000 Rating 90 1400m race.

The Hamilton trainer, who prepares De Los Angeles in partnership with his wife Debbie, was rapt with the horse's win in the $30,000 Newstalk ZB 1400 at Ellerslie on Saturday for rider Michael Coleman, who brought up his 250th Ellerslie winner in the race.

It was De Los Angeles' fourth win from 17 starts, having been plagued with niggling injuries throughout most of his career. In nine Ellerslie starts, he has won four wins and placed in the other five.

''He's a good old horse but he's had a lot of issues. I'd love to have him 100 per cent,'' Rogerson said.

Awapuni trainer Mike Breslin said runner-up Tip The Wink would spend the week at Cambridge's Kendayla Park with the Listed $45,000 Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham on March 20 her next aim.

- © Fairfax NZ News