First southern hemisphere G1 winner for Bernardini

Beaten only once in her six starts to date, two-year-old Bernardini filly Ruud Awakening proved she is one of the best of her sex to come out of New Zealand in recent years, with an easy victory in the G1 Diamond Stakes over 1200m on 9 March.

The first southern hemisphere G1 winner and sixth overall for her sire, Ruud Awakening was a last start winner of the Karaka Millions and is also the winner of the Listed Wellesley Stakes.

Jumping away too well from the inside barrier, the Opie Bosson-ridden filly was never headed, going on to take victory over Lonhro’s Stakes-winning daughter Bounding, the only horse to have beaten Ruud Awakening.

Bred by Watson Bloodstock, Ruud Awakening is out of the Danehill mare Dawn Almighty, a full-sister to Quintilla (dam of the dual G2-winning, G1 placed Ruud Van Slaats) and a half-sister to Listed winner Chester County. Dawn Almighty has a yearling full-sister to Ruud Awakening.

The sire of 19 Stakes winners highlighted by G1 winners Alpha, To Honor And Serve, Stay Thirsty, A.Z. Warrior and Biondetti, Bernardini will be represented by eight yearlings at the Inglis Easter yearling sale which is set to commence on 9 April.