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FWC: ESP v BEL LIVEPrioress claims another winter scalp at Hawera
Kevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • July 11th, 2026 3:54 pm
Prioress winning at Hāwera | Photo: Jane Davidson (Race Images)
A heady ride from promising new apprentice Tom Wigram paved the way for consistent winter galloper Prioress to claim her sixth career success when she powered home near the rail to win the Hunts Farms Services Ltd (1200m) at Hāwera.
The daughter of Proisir did most of her early racing from the Lisa Latta stable where she won on four occasions before switching to Suzy Gordon’s Foxton barn.
Having finished well back in the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m) at her most recent run, the mare didn’t feature amongst the main fancies for Saturday’s contest, however, she turned that form around in impressive fashion as Wigram provided her with a saloon passage throughout.
Sitting back off the speed, Wigram had Prioress trucking along under her own speed in the early stages before hunting up in behind the pace approaching the home turn.
Securing a run one-off the fence the mare drove through strongly and kicked well to hold out home track runner Tavis Court and Chajaba, who powered home out wide but couldn’t peg her back.
Gordon believes the very heavy and testing nature of the track at her last start hadn’t done the mare any favours and she was more at home on a drying surface.
“I think she is actually preferring these Slow tracks rather than the Heavy ones at the moment as she is getting older,” Gordon said.
“She has never really had a trip away and didn’t like the track last time. I do think she is okay with rain on the day so we will keep pushing along with her.”
The victory brings the mare’s record to six wins and a further 20 placings, with $231,322 in prizemoney.
The win also brought up an early race-to-race double for Wigram who has collected six victories since he commenced riding in June.
Locals were celebrating two races later when Wheelitin broke through for another victory, having been winless since August last year.
The Anna Clement-prepared seven-year-old mare generally produces her best in the winter and she definitely put the right foot forward on Saturday as she came with a powerful finish in the hands of Jim Chung to swamp her rivals in the other open handicap event on the day, the Energy Ford (1600m).
Clement was rapt with the run after watching Chung ride the mare exactly to instructions.
“She is going well and I said to Jimmy that she would probably get back and would likely go through a flat spot, so to keep pushing and he did it well,” Clement said.
“She’s going along really well at the moment.”
Wheelitin has now won six of her 44 starts and more than $158,000 in prizemoney.
