11 November 2009
At Ellerslie on Tuesday November 3 (Melbourne Cup day) Pennacchio (Align x Abenezra) enhanced her glowing reputation with a narrow win in the $35,000 Pencarrow Stud 1400.The five-year-old daughter of Highview stallion Align has been very consistent having won four of her last seven race-day starts for trainer Andrew Scott at Matamata. In total she now has five wins to her credit as well as two seconds and a third placing from 12 outings.“She definitely has a big future ahead of her,” Scott said. “And I am sure we have not seen the best of her yet.”Pennacchio was ridden by top jockey James McDonald for the first time at Ellerslie and the combination ran out the winners by a nose over Flavio while Casabella Lane finished third.McDonald said Pennacchio demonstrated a very good turn of foot and considered her a very smart galloper.Pennacchio is owned by John Norwood and Rod Preston and was purchased by Robbie Hewetson Bloodstock for $52,500 at the 2006 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales at Karaka from the Highview Stud draft.Pennacchio had finished a meritorious third in strong company in the Group 3 Postponed Stakes at Hawera last month which showed that she was right up to the top company.While she is racing so well Scott intends to keep Pennacchio racing with more opportunities to win at Group level looming.Her next start will be at Pukekohe on Counties Cup day on November 21 where she will contest the Group 2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes and will then go on to tackle the Group 2 fillies and mares feature at Te Rapa on December 12.
