Latta strikes gold in Hastings
Justice was served when Five To Midnight powered to victory in yesterday’s Hawke’s Bay Cup at Hastings.
The Lisa Latta-trained galloper has been knocking on the door of a feature race success all summer and broke through stylishly in the $75,000 Listed race.
Ever-consistent, he has been in the first five in eight starts in this campaign which has included a fresh-up win over 1600m in Rating 75 company and an open handicap win on his home track of Awapuni.
But placings in the Auckland Cup, City Of Auckland Cup, Avondale Cup, Fielding Gold Cup, Manawatu Cup and Awapuni Gold Cup promised a major win for Latta, owner Kevin Pratt and jockey Danielle Johnson.
Sydney-based Pratt thought he would be heading back across the Tasman from his Kamada Park property in Palmerston North without a win.
‘‘I’m so happy to win the race,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m going back to Sydney tomorrow and I thought I’ve been here a month and I haven’t got a win.
‘‘I thought he would win something this year.’’
The Domesday 4-year-old was all class as he ate into the lead established by Maygrove and Balham.
The race was run at a genuine tempo with Balham taking the early lead from Maygrove and Cheeky Boy.
When the pressure went on at the 600m mark, Maygrove swept to the lead and it was all on.
Johnson had been patient in behind the speed, and when she asked for the favourite to extend he slowly but surely gathered in Maygrove who fought for second and Balham for third with Pacorus closing appreciably for fourth.
Earlier, Johnson scored a win aboard the favourite Prince Hareem in the first race, the 100th time the premiership-leading jockey has ridden a winner for her partner, Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh.
The trainer-jockey combination’s success is headed by black-type wins with Sofia Rosa, Thee Auld Floozie, Serious Satire, Ruud Not Too and She Brings Joy.
They added another win with Andado in the last race, giving Johnson three wins for the day.
Maygrove’s jockey, Matthew Cameron, also rode three winners on the card.
The sponsor was well rewarded in the day’s 2-year-old race on the card.
Bostonian underlined his talent when the youngster made it two wins from his two career starts for owner David Archer and the Archer Equine Investments team.
The son of Jimmy Choux appropriately dominated the Fasttrack Insurance 2YO (1300m) as insurance broker Archer was the driving force behind the scheme to boost racing stakes.
By showing loyalty to the racing industry through placing insurances through FastTrackinsurance, stakes get a welcome boost.
The Tony Pike-trained gelding seems likely to boost his unblemished record when next produced.
‘‘He’s going to make a nice Guineas horse,’’ Pike said. ‘‘The decision we have to make now when we get home is whether we press on for another run or just put him away for the spring.’’
Successful jockey Leith Innes will be keen to stick with the ship.
‘‘He’s a true little professional,’’ Innes said. ‘‘He’s definitely got a bit of a future, that’s for sure.’’
Bostonian, out of a half-sister to Archer’s 10-time Group I winner Mufhasa, follows in big hoofprints.
The last two winners of the 2-yearold event on Hawke’s Bay Gold Cup day have been Xtravagant and Bonneval, both going on to 3-year-old Group I success.