The lightly raced Blissfull Lady boasts the pedigree of a quality stayer, and she stepped up in distance on Friday and produced a performance worthy of those bloodlines in the Trigg Construction Northland Cup (2200m) at Ruakaka.

Blissfull Lady is a son of the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner Shocking and the Prized mare Prize Lady, who herself was a back-to-back winner of the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) in 2007 and 2008.

Prize Lady has passed on some of that staying talent to the next generation, producing four winners from five foals to race including Blissfull Lady’s full-brother Dragon Storm, who won the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) and the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m).

Friday’s Ruakaka feature was the second win of an 11-start career for the promising Blissfull Lady, who was bought by Stuart Hale for $35,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2021. She was a maiden winner over 1600m at Avondale as an autumn three-year-old last April, and recent fourth placings over 1950m and 2000m hinted that another winning turn might be just around the corner.

The four-year-old delivered in style on Friday in the hands of high-flying jockey Warren Kennedy. Blissfull Lady settled in fifth before pouncing at the home turn and quickly putting the result beyond any doubt with a powerful kick. She bounded clear down the Ruakaka straight, opening up a four-length winning margin over Sentry and Selva Verde.

Blissfull Lady’s 11-start career has now produced two wins, a placing and $33,950 in stakes, with the promise of much more to come as she continues to mature.

“She’s always given us the impression that stepping up over this sort of distance would be the making of her, and I think you saw the best of her today,” trainer Andrew Forsman said.

“Warren gave her a perfect ride from a handy draw, and she produced a strong finish and won the race very comfortably in the end.

“We’ve deliberately brought her along quite quietly through this early part of her career. We’ve always thought that she would benefit from being given plenty of time, and if we continue that patient approach, I think she’ll continue to develop and furnish into a lovely staying mare in time. Next season might be her time to step up into some of the better races over these staying trips.”