(32) Invitation Stakes-G1

Caulfield. September 22. $352,000. Open Hcp. 1400m.

1. PERNOD (NZ) (K McEvoy 53.5) trainer: M D Moroney.

2. Bel Esprit (D Oliver 53) b c 3 Royal Academy (USA) - Bespoken, by Vain.

3. Royal Code (B Prebble 55) b h 4 King's Theatre (IRE) - Cryptomagic (USA), by Cryptoclearance.

3/4 len. Neck. 1m 22.63s. 18 strs.

PERNOD (NZ) (16-a)

Brown mare foaled 1997

Breeder: Trelawney Stud, NZ.

Owners: W Huntly, G Sweetman, B Brunton, S Bailey, G Sproule, A Papanicolaou, J Costi, C Coghlan, T Fairchild & M Kainey.

Click here for Tesio pedigree

Werk Nick Rating: A++

GP Inbreeding: Nil.

Age	Starts	Wins	2nds	3rds
2	-	-	-	-
3	3	3	-	-
4	10	3	1	-
5	2	2	-	-
	15	8	1	-

Sire: CENTAINE (AUS) - Brown 1980. Stakes winner: 6 wins, $120,350, VATC Autumn S-G3, 2d VATC Sandown Guineas-G2, 3d VATC Futurity S-G1. Closely related to BEEN THERE, TENNESSEE VAIN. To stud 1985. Standing at Thornton Park Stud, NZ. Champion NZ Sire of 2YOs and Champion First Crop Sire. Sire of 448 winners of $36 million - 55 SWs inc SLIGHT CHANCE, KINJITE, STELLA CADENTE, FOXWOOD, PERNOD, TAUPO RETREAT, CHEIRON, CENTURY KID, FLEUR DE CHINE, KAPCHAT, ULTIMATE AIM, NEVER SAY, BATTLE HAWK, CENTISLE, PERFECT WORLD, CORDERO, CENTAINETTE, FRENCH GYPSY, CENTALONG, STARCENT, CENTALEIGH, VAL DE GRACE, MAINTAIN, GIORGIO, CENTURY REIGN, ARLETTY, CENTURY BOY, CENTIE LASSIE, MAXIMAL, CATAINER, BATTLE HAWK, TAINEBERRY, RESONAIRE, SPRING RAIN, SPOTSWOODE, COUNTRY ROSE, etc.

Dam

Martine Michelle (1988). 2 wins at 1400m, 3d CJC Pyne Gould Guiness 2YO Final S-LR. Dam of 6 foals, 4 raced 3 winners -

95 (Unnamed) b f by Dance Floor (USA).

96 Majestic Fiesta (NZ), b c by Maroof (USA). 4 wins, $94,155, at 1000m, 1100m, AJC Welter H, Radio 2UE H, Star City H, STC TAB First 4 H, 2d AJC Razor Sharp H-LR, STC Eskimo Prince H-LR.

97 PERNOD (NZ). 8 wins, $568,350, 1140m-1400m, MRC Invitation S-G1, Tristarc P-G3, Sir Edward Dunlop S-LR, Thomas North H, Adaris P, Gardenvale H, 2d VRC Empire Rose S-G2, 4th VATC How Now S-LR.

98 Shanghai Moon (NZ), b f by Carnegie (IRE). 1 win at 1300m, SAJC Maiden H, 3d SAJC H C Nitschke S-LR.

99 Obtuse, b c by Groom Dancer (USA). 1 win at 1200m.

02 (Unnamed) b c by Marju (IRE).

Slipped in 1994; missed in 2000; her 2002 foal died.

2nd Dam

JOSETTE NICOLE. 3 wins at 1400m, 1600m, WRC Desert Gold S-G2. Dam of 1 foal, a winner -

Martine Michelle. See above.

3rd Dam

DIATRELIC (FR). Placed in France. Half-sister to DANDY LUTE (Prix la Rochette-G3, Prix du Palais Royal-G3, Prix de la Jonchere-G3, 2d Prix de la Foret-G1, 3d Poule d'Essai des Poulains-G1), and to the dams of BIG JOHN, World Leader, Winning Boy, War Whisper, Fifre de Go. Dam of 12 foals, 10 raced, 6 winners inc -

EASTERN JOY. Champion 3YO Filly in NZ; 12 wins, $231,305, 1200m-2400m, ARC Easter S-G1, Avondale Championship-G2, Leopard Classic-G3, Manawatu Eulogy S-G3, Waikato Travel Centre S-LR, ARC Jordan Sandman & Smythe S-LR, BOP Racing Personalities S-LR, 2d Waikato Noble Heights S-G3, 3d Counties Auckland TB S-G3. Grandam of -

Volksini. 1 win at 1100m, Te Aroha 2YO H, 2d Hawke's Bay Highview S-G3, 4th ARC Ellerslie Sires' Produce S-G1, Avondale NZ Bloodstock 2YO Fillies S-LR.

Piachay. Placed; 2d MVRC Leslie Froggatt S-LR.

JOSETTE NICOLE. See above.

Al Jarreau. 3 wins at 1200m, 2100m, ARC Dunstan Welter H.

Velinda. 1 win at 1100m. Dam of -

PROMISE ME. 5 wins, $59,726, 1200m-1600m, SAJC Classic Mile-LR, Lotteries Commission H, Hastings Kinjite S, 3YO Fillies Maiden H, Te Rapa Spencer Helicopters H.

Lady Sunshine. 3 wins, 1150m-1600m, Otago Owners & Trainers H, Rotorua 2YO H, 2d Otago 3YO Championship Final-LR.

Eloquence*. Unraced. Dam of -

Break Dancer. 3 wins to 1400m, AJC Luddenham H, 2d STC Parramatta Cup-LR, 3d STC Theo Marks Quality H-G2, AJC Shorts H-LR, STC Festival H-LR. Dam of-

Shinnecock Hills (late Western Beat). 4 wins at 1400m, 1450m, SAJC King Stephen H, HKJC Sassoon Challenge Cup, 2d VATC Blue Diamond Prelude-G3, HKJC Happy Valley Trophy-HKG3.

Fragile. Unraced. Dam of -

Disintegrate. 3 wins at 1200m, HBJC Juvenile H, WRC General Motors H, 4th Rotorua Travelodge S-LR. Dam of -

Shattering. 2 wins at 1100m, 1200m, Marton Lowe Walker H.

Shattered. Unraced. Dam of -

SHATTERED CIRCLE. 8 wins, $119,615, 1100m-2500m, SAJC Rain Lover P-G3, The Mask of Zoro H, Lockley's Tradition H, Alcohol Go Easy H, 4th SAJC Adelaide Cup-G1.

Scott Seamer was sacked by the owners of Bel Esprit following his defeat in the Manikato, a move not fully endorsed by the trainer, but it made little difference. Replacement jockey Damien Oliver rode the three-year-old much the same in the Invitation Stakes, this year sponsored by the Dubai Racing Club.

Bel Esprit was again well in front when the field turned the corner but New Zealand mare Pernod powered home in the final furlong to better Bel Esprit in the same manner as another mare Spinning Hill had done in the Manikato. Pernod won by three-quarters of a length with Royal Code finished a good third a further neck away. A Caulfield specialist, Pernod has won five of her six starts at the course. It was the second win in two starts for the mare this season following an unlucky run in the Stradbroke Handicap in Brisbane in June.

Not the prettiest horse on the circuit, handsome is as handsome does and the large syndicate of owners headed by Warren Huntly were ecstatic at the mare's first Group I victory after the race. She is one of the stars of a large and successful trans Tasman training establishment headed by Michael Moroney.