Follow this one: My Paisann
My Paisann repaid the faith shown by his New Zealand owners when he came off the pace and kicked late to win over 1400m at Caulfield on Saturday.
Owned by Cambridge bloodstock consultant Phill Cataldo along with Dino and Angela Focas and Alan Hall, the threeyear-old Roc de Cambes gelding recorded his first win since coming back from more than a year away from the track.
‘‘There didn’t seem to be a lot of speed early and he ran home strongly,’’ Cataldo said.
‘‘I thought he was in trouble a little bit on the turn, but he made his own way through the gap and was very strong late. Hopefully he can keep going.
‘‘I have got no doubt that he is going to run further than the 1400m.’’
My Paisann is trained by Lisa Enright, who is assisted by her brother and Cataldo’s long-time friend, former jockey Matthew Enright.
‘‘I’ve known Matthew for a long time. We are both from the central districts and we used to spend a lot of time together when Matthew was riding,’’ Cataldo said.
‘‘I have always respected him as a jockey and a horseman. We wanted to give him a horse at some stage and My Paisann was the ideal horse. He showed a lot as a two-year- old and we just wanted to get him over to Australia to race for good prizemoney.’’
My Paisann raced four times in New Zealand for Pukekohe conditioner Nigel Tiley. He won his second race over 1200m before finishing fifth in the Group I Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes and Listed Champagne Stakes.
‘‘After he ran in the Champagne we had him sold to Hong Kong, but he failed the vet (inspection). He had a bone chip on his knee, so he went to Dave Keenan’s clinic (Matamata Veterinary Services).
‘‘Dave took the bone chip out and set out a rehabilitation programme. It was going to give the horse the best opportunity to make his way back to the track, which involved eight to nine months of rehab.
‘‘We gave him plenty of time and he went over to Matthew and Lisa just before Christmas.’’
The patience shown by his owners looks set to pay off, with Cataldo showing a lot of confidence in the gelding.
‘‘He’ll likely run in the Silver Bowl Series Final at Flemington on Saturday. It will be his first start over the mile. Then he will have a break and hopefully we can aim a little higher with him in the spring.
‘‘I thought he was better than the horses he ran against on the weekend, so if they’re the benchmark then you would think he has a good future next season.’’
My Paisann is not the only son of Roc de Cambes the owners have had success with. The group also raced Ragnaar, who Cataldo purchased out of Kilmore Farm’s 2014 Ready to Run sale draft for $35,000.
Trained by Tiley, he raced twice in New Zealand for two placings, including the Listed Great Northern Foal Stakes. He was then sold to Hong Kong interests.
Looking to replicate their success, the owners instructed Cataldo to buy them another horse to race.
‘‘I went to The Oaks to buy another Roc de Cambes and saw My Paisann in the paddock with about seven other yearlings and I picked him out,’’ he said.
‘‘He’d just been broken-in at the time by Clayton Chipperfield and he’d just come back to The Oaks.’’
Cataldo said he has a lot of time for The Oaks Stud stallion and looks forward to seeing how Consommateur, a Roc de Cambes mare he sold, develops after already winning the Group III Epona Stakes at Rosehill her most recent preparation.
‘‘I think he is a very underrated stallion. He can leave that good classic staying horse. I think Consommateur has got a big future. I can see her developing into a beautiful mile and a quarter to a mile and a half mare next season.’’
– NZ Racing Desk