Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Olympics
Football
Netball
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Full Noise by SN
Live sport on SN this weekendChurchillian back to her best in Tauranga victory
Kevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • March 14th, 2026 5:39 pm
Churchillian winning at Tauranga on Saturday | Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Speedy mare Churchillian showed what she is capable of when given her own terms in front when she bolted home in the open sprint at Tauranga, the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m).
The Tony Pike-prepared daughter of Churchill has always shown she can be tough to catch when she gets to dictate the pace and that worked out well on Saturday as she dominated proceedings in the hands of Sam Collett.
In a race expected to be run at high speed, Collett was able to cast a spell over her rivals as she bounced the six-year-old mare straight to the front from barrier rise and set up a tempo that saw her travelling easily approaching the home bend with plenty of petrol still in the tank.
Race favourite December, who had trailed throughout, issued his challenge shortly after straightening but when Collett asked Churchillian to go, she dashed away to win easing down by more than five lengths from the favourite who just held out the late closing Florin and Mad Max for second.
Pike had harboured some doubts before the race about his charge handling the Heavy8 track conditions, however, those fears proved unfounded as she dashed home in her first start since Boxing Day last year.
“She has always been a promising mare all along, who has had a few injury niggles,” Pike said. “But when she is good, she is very good.
“It was a beautiful ride by Sam as there looked to be a lot of speed in the race, which everyone read the same, but they went at a real modest tempo and the way the track was playing (favouring on pace runners) she was dominant.
“She has never really performed on soft track conditions, so that was a concern, but obviously hard up against the rail was the place to be.
“We were using this race as a lead-up to Trentham in two weeks where she is going to a 1400m Listed race.”
That race is the Listed Bramco Granite & Marble Flying Handicap (1400m) to be run on 28 March.
The victory provided Pike with a winning double after High Country had backed up an impressive win at Ellerslie on 21 February with another in the hands of Joe Doyle as he romped away with a Rating 75 2100m contest, winning by more than nine lengths.
The victory was achieved in the same manner as Churchillian, as the son of Mongolian Khan was sent straight to the lead by Doyle and simply ran his rivals ragged.
Given a soft lead, High Country was bolting with 800m to run as Doyle increased the tempo approaching the home bend where his mount went six lengths clear and with a full head of steam up.
High Country never looked like flinching as he relished the testing underfoot conditions to stride away and win in a hand canter at the post from Perfectmanz and Apex.
“He has been a frustrating horse as he has run well in some big races but just struggled to win consistently,” Pike said.
“Obviously he gained confidence from that good win at Ellerslie and today he was dominant.
“We will see what is coming up at Ellerslie as he has a good record there and it looks like there are a couple of races for him.
“He is a nice progressive stayer, we have been patient with him, and he is developing into a nice horse going forward.”
The win was the third from 25 starts for the son of dual stakes winner Chaparella, who has now won over $186,000 in prizemoney.
The win by Churchillian was her ninth from just 22 starts, where she has pocketed more than $278,000 in stakes earnings for her connections.
