A consistent performer in New Zealand’s staying features over the last 12 months, $16,000 Select Sale purchase Dee and Gee (NZ) (Darci Brahma) scored a well-deserved win in Saturday’s $250,000 Group 3 Christchurch Casino 156th New Zealand Cup (3200m) a Riccarton.

Since her upset victory in the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2500m) at the same meeting last year, Dee and Gee has finished second in the $250,000 Group 3 Wellington Cup (3200m), fourth in the $500,000 Group 1 Auckland Cup (3200m), third in the $100,000 Group 3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) and second in this year’s edition of the Metropolitan Trophy.

But Saturday was Dee and Gee’s day. Jockey Leah Hemi had her handily positioned in fourth through the early part of the race, then upped the ante from the 800-metre mark.

Dee and Gee outstayed and out-toughed her opponents, powering to victory by three-quarters of a length.

The 6-year-old is trained by her owners, popular Timaru couple Terrill Charles and Peter Corbett. Remarkably, Charles was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2015 and was given just four months to live.

“She was really unlucky when Gorbachev (NZ) (Gorky Park) beat her in the Wellington Cup, but today she got him,” Hemi said. “She has a really high cruising speed that she can sustain for quite a while. I’m just so happy for Peter and Terrill, and I know that Terrill will be so stoked.”

Dee and Gee is the couple’s pride and joy, winning six of her 36 starts and $378,485 in stakes – more than 10 times her purchase price at Karaka.

“It’s just unreal,” Corbett said. “By Christ, she’s a tough little horse, and we got the Cup.”

La Romanee (NZ) Soars to Welcome Stakes Win

La Romanee (NZ) (Burgundy), a $22,500 purchase at Book 2 of Karaka 2019, scored a superb come-from-behind victory in Saturday’s $50,000 Listed Barneswood Farm Welcome Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton.

Trained by 22-year-old Daniel Miller for his parents, John and Maree, the gelding had raced greenly when finishing seventh on debut at Riccarton on October 5. He took a big step forward in his second start later that month, overcoming a wide run for a gritty win.

On Saturday he was even better. He was slow to leave the gates and sat second-last at the home turn, but unleashed a withering finish down the outside for jockey Samantha Wynne.

He stormed home down the straight, passing nine horses in the last 400 metres and racing clear to win by three-quarters of a length.

La Romanee has now had three starts for two wins, earning $42,185 in prize-money.

“Full credit to Mum and Dad – they went up to Karaka as little fish in a big pond,” Daniel Miller said. “They liked the look of this one and they bought him out of the ring.

“From the get-go, he has always shown a lot of ability, although he does plenty wrong. I think he can go a long way once he knows what he is doing.”

La Romanee now tops the order of entry for the $1m Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 25.