Veyron back-to-back in Easter Handicap

Veyron completed a memorable week for Windsor Park in the Easter Hcp at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Veyron (6g Thorn Park – Over The Limit by Centro) crossed from an outside barrier to sit in the box seat during the Group 1 Mile.  The Cambridge based gelding was too strong for his rivals in the straight to bring up back-to-back Easter Handicaps.

Windsor Park based sire Thorn Park is in second spot on the NZ sires’ premiership with $1.25 million this season.  He won the 2010-11 title thanks to champion colt Jimmy Choux but will struggle to overhaul O’Reilly ($1.71 million) before July 31.

Jimmy Choux finished sixth in the Easter Hcp and connections confirmed he will return to Australia for a crack at the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick later this month.

Earlier this week, studmaster Nelson Schick announced 2011 English Derby winner Pour Moi would be the latest addition to Windsor Park’s roster.  Schick had raised Thorn Park’s service fee to $20,000 last year.

Veyron was a G1 winner of the Waikato Draught Sprint and Haunui Farm Classic before finishing a neck second to Scarlett Lady in the New Zealand Stakes on March 10.  The second Easter Hcp result improved his record to 13 wins in 24 starts since making a successful debut at Te Aroha in October 2009.

Veyron is prepared by Linda Laing at Cambridge for owner-breeders Isabel and Alistaire Barker.  His second dam Limitless (Sir Tristram) won the 1987 Brisbane Cup when trained by Laing’s father Royce Dowling.