Enzo Lad great southern upset
THE South Island has claimed another Telegraph upset, with Enzo’s Lad giving Matthew Pitman an emotional first Group I win.
The 74-1 shot upset a highquality field at Trentham on Saturday, one year on from Signify’s win in the race at odds of 46-1.
It was also apprentice jockey Sam Weatherley’s first Group I win, as he produced a beaut of a ride from the ace draw.
He lobbed the five-year-old gelding into the trail, before getting a split between the leader Ferrando and Passing Shot and charging to the finish to hold off a fast-finishing Kawi by a short neck, with Ferrando holding on for third.
Pittman, who trains in partnership with his father Michael, was emotional after the race, dedicating the race to his late brother Jonny, who died in November 2013.
‘‘It’s really special. It’s been no secret, we’ve really felt the ups and downs of not only racing but life in general. To get this today means the world to me.
‘‘I’d love for Johnny to be here. He’s not, but it’s our family, it’s our team.’’
Michael Pittman was down in Gore racing the rest of their team.
Matthew Pittman said they always had a high opinion of the horse, who took his record to five wins from 20 races, including the Pegasus Stakes during New Zealand Cup week.
‘‘He’s been right up to the mark the whole way through this campaign, we’ve always thought highly of him and he showed that in the Pegasus during Cup week.
‘‘That last start he struck a wet track and he’s no good on a wet track at all. Sam had really done his homework and he knew exactly how he wanted the race to pan out and he rode it beautifully and it panned out just how he HAGEN HOPKINS/GETTY IMAGES pictured it to me. Full credit to him.’’
Weatherley, last year’s champion apprentice, was understandably overjoyed to pick up his first Group I in just his second year of riding.
’’I’m over the moon to be honest.
‘‘He just had all the luck in the world. He had the trail, he’s got the split one off and he’s just tried his heart out.
‘‘I could see Kawi out of the corner of my eye and he started to look around a bit too and put a bit of worry in my mind, but he’s just too tough. He’s a very good horse.’’
Kawi produced a strong run for second, against what appeared to be an on-pace bias during the day, while Ferrando was valiant after leading all the way. AS a breeder, Wellfield Lodge’s Bill Gleeson appreciates the value of black type on the pedigree page and he doesn’t mind travelling to find it.
For the second time in three years, he has enjoyed success in the Listed Liquorland Gore Guineas (1335m) after Exceed And Excel’s daughter Excelleration kicked off her southern sojourn in fine style on Saturday.
In 2016, Gleeson won the event with Wafer, a filly by his resident stallion Alamosa who also sired the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) winner Stolen Dance, and he again celebrated as a co-breeder and part-owner with Peter Gillespie and Scott Plant of the Nigel Tiley-trained Excelleration.
‘‘She’s only going to get better and it was a really nice win,’’ he said. ‘‘She’s quite tough and a filly with a bit of attitude about her.’’
Excelleration has now won three of her seven starts, but she will transfer to the Riccarton stable of Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong for the remainder of her southern stay.
‘‘She’ll run next in the Dunedin Guineas over a mile and then we’ll assess her after that,’’ Gleeson said.
‘‘Nigel has always been of the opinion that she’ll stay. Her mother Abeautifulred ran second in the New Zealand 1000 Guineas and the grand-mother You Beauty was third in the New Zealand Oaks.
‘‘It’s nice for a young mare to now have produced a stakes winner with her first foal.’’
Wellfield will offer a halfbrother (Lot 13) to Excelleration by Fastnet Rock at the Book 1 Sale at Karaka on January 28.
Excelleration was ridden at Gore by Kylie Williams, who said she didn’t have to unduly pressure the filly to win with ease.
‘‘She got held up a bit, but once into the clear she did it easily. I just changed my grip and I didn’t have to pull the stick.’’ ● Highly-regarded three-year-old Jasd continues to press his claims for a classic call up.
The Tony Pike-trained son of Sepoy maintained his perfect record on Saturday when he overcame a chequered run at Trentham to prevail in the Harrisons Carpets & Curtains Premier (1400m).
“He’s a very big horse with a good action and he’s bred to stay,” trainer Tony Pike said. “We’ll probably step him up to a mile and then maybe one of the later Guineas races ahead of the Derby.
‘ He just had all the luck in the world. He had the trail, he’s got the split one off and he’s just tried his heart out.’ SAM WEATHERLEY