$30,000 maiden win

Blue Flag , a 3yr-old filly bred at  White Robe Lodge by resident stallion Raise The Flag, won a $30,000 1600m maiden race at Ellerslie on Wednesday (4/3/2015). She was bred by Brian and Lorraine Anderton and bought as a foal by Tauranga owner, Phil Bayly.

Mr Bayly and his wife, Mildred visited WR to buy a horse in 2012 and he took a liking to a yearling colt by Gallant Guru from Vital Note.

"I was not keen to sell the colt as he was a grey and from the family of Melbourne Cup winner, Baghdad Note but I accepted his offer,'' recalled Brian. "Phil then said to his wife (Mildred), you had better select a horse to buy. She chose Blue Flag, who was then a foal running with Vital Note.''

Mr Bayly decided not to continue with the colt, named Jackfrost, as a 3yr-old last season and passed him to a syndicate, who won two races with the Gallant Guru gelding from the Foxton stable of David Haworth.

Mr Bayly (92) has raced  several major winners, including   Blue Denim (1980 Auckland Cup), My Eagle Eye (1992 Sydney Cup)), Lion Tamer ( 2010   Victoria Derby  and 2011 Underwood Stakes), Harris Tweed ( 2009 Tulloch Stakes and Bart Cummings Handicap).The majority have been trained by Murray Baker,  the co-trainer of Blue Flag with Andrew Forsman.

Mr Bayly bought Red Gae, by the champion WR stallion, Mellay as a 5yr-old in 1974 from South Canterbury owner-trainer, Cecil Stewart.  Transferred to Riccarton trainer Barry Taggart, she won the  Kurow Cup, Kumara Gold Nuggets and Nelson Cup that season. She became the dam of Red Icing, who won the 1993 NZ Cup Trial at Riccarton when trained by Baker.

Blue Flag is the last of five foals left by Vital Note, an unraced daughter of Yamanin Vital from Sound Note, by Sound Reason from Ararat Note, a sister to Baghdad Note, who won the Melbourne Cup in 1970.

The defunct WR sire, Yamanin Vital, sired To The Max, winner of the $15,000 Cromwell Cup on Sunday. To The Max (ex Anquilla) was bred by Lorraine and sold as a 2yr-old for $12,000 to Andrea Smith, the Gore owner-trainer, at the 2010 South Island Sale.  To The Max is a half brother to Belle D'Or, winner of seven  races for Winton owner-trainer, Val Christophers. Anquilla (by Random Chance) won eight races for Lorraine and Val and left four foals.