Pitmans start Christmas carnival in style
Michael and Matt Pitman have started the holiday racing season in ominous fashion but not even the Pitman partnership could not match Batman.
Despite only contesting six of the nine races at Wingatui on Boxing Day, team Pitman picked up four winners.
But in the feature, the Listed $50,000 BP2GO Alco Mosgiel Stakes over 1200m, it was the Neill Ridleytrained Batman who played the staring role.
The meeting began with a minute’s silence for Rebecca Black – the Riverton jockey who died at the Gore meeting last Sunday. Jockeys at the meeting wore black arm bands in memory of Black.
Fresh up since winning a 1400m premier even on New Zealand Cup day, Batman held off a fast finishing Signify by head to claim his first Listed success. Batman’s task was made easier following the scratchings of leading hopes First Serve and Riding Shotgun and a perfectly rated front-running ride from Kylie Williams.
The eight-year-old son of Falkirk charged out of barrier one to take and early lead and when Williams pinched a break soon after the field turned for home, the race looked over. But Racha Cuneen got the best out of Signify who flew home late. Madam Bentley finished third, two and a quarter lengths behind Signify.
Pitman runner and race favourite, Kinagat, finished back in fourth. But that was the father and son training partnerships only disappointment after winning the first three races on the card.
Montoya Star and Prince Ransom were both successful in rating 65 races over 1600m in the hands of Sam Wynne before stable apprentice Parvesh Shaikh kicked home No Emotion to his 11th win from 86 starts in a rating 85 over 1600m.
Their class horse, Son Of Maher lived up ot his star billing when winning the last race. Williams did her best to steal another win from in front with Elusive Boxers but Son Of Maher, part-owned by former Black Caps captain Brendon Mccullum, was too good. The fouryear-old son of Al Maher gave Elusive Boxers a massive head start but Wynne never panicked and when the Group I performer let down he cruised on by to win by three and a half lengths.