Rhythm Mares 1-2 in Aukland Cup

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Mares by Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Rhythm have supplied a 1-2 result for their sire in the Auckland Cup, New Zealand's premier two-mile race.

Upsetthym, ridden by English-born apprentice jockey Gemma Sliz, won the $350,000 (NZ funds) Ellerslie feature on Jan. 3 as a 13-2 second choice.

The 5-year-old mare had 1-1/4 lengths to spare from Galway Lass. Deputy Governor mare My Govermess finished third a similar distance away. The Mighty Lions was next to give distaffers a sweep of the first four placings in a field of 18.

Rhythm last shuttled to New Zealand's Cambridge Stud in 1999, the year he last worked in Kentucky, his three seasons there at Ashford. Since 2000 the Mr. Prospector son has stood at Diamond F Ranch at Grass Valley, California.

He was redrafted to shuttle duties last year, traveling to Paul Higgins' Baerami Stud in New South Wales, Australia. His southern recall came in the wake of the wins by Ethereal in the 2001 Melbourne Cup (Aust-I) and Tapildo in New Zealand Oaks (NZ-1) and the Raffles Cup (Sing-I) in Singapore.

Upsetthym continues the trend for Rhythm's southern success to be provided by his daughters over longer distances. The Karen Fursdon-conditioned mare has won at six of her 22 starts.

She was bred by Cambridge proprietors Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan. Soon after her major success, he made a gift of the mare to her 10 leasee owners.

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