Enzo's Lad (Aus) (Testa Rossa {Aus}), trying Group 1 company for the first time, came away with the 1200-metre G1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph on Saturday, defeating Kawi (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) by a short neck at odds of 73-1 for trainers Matthew and Michael Pitman.
Avoiding any sort of trouble in the 18-strong field as the gates sprung, apprentice Sam Weatherley put Enzo's Lad in a beautiful spot in fourth, drafting behind Ferrando (NZ) (Fast 'N' Famous {Aus}) against the fence down the chute. The field swung onto the course proper and a seam opened in upper stretch, with Enzo's Lad swinging off the rail ready to pounce. In between Ferrando and fellow speed Passing Shot (NZ) (Swiss Ace {Aus}) at the 200 metre-pole, the gelding kept finding to seize the advantage, but seven-time Group 1 winner Kawi was letting down ominously well farther out in the course. It was a mad dash to the wire from there, with Enzo's Lad hanging on by a head from Kawi, while Ferrando was an equal measure back in third. Passing Shot hung on for fourth, another length behind.
“I was very happy to be on him,” Weatherley told NZ racing.com, as both horse and rider were tasting their first Group 1 wins. “He won the Pegasus in style and I knew if we had some luck, he could do it. We got all the splits when we needed to so I'm over the moon. Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to be a jockey, and to win a Group 1 is great. He probably got to the front too soon and he was looking around, but he knuckled down when he had to.”
Lightly raced since signing off his fall season with a runner-up effort going 1200 metres at Riccarton Park on May 19, Enzo's Lad filled that spot again in a similar contest there behind Carnival (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) on Oct. 28. First past the post in the Listed Pegasus H. on Nov. 11, the 5-year-old gelding faded to seventh in the Listed Hazlett S. sprinting at Wingatui on Dec. 26 in his latest appearance.
“There's just no better feeling than this,” added co-trainer Matthew Pitman. “He's been up to the mark all the way through. He struck a wet track [in the Hazlette] and he can't go on them. He's got a great bunch of owners, all from Wellington, and it was their choice as much as ours to bring him up. This means the world to me.”
Pedigree Notes…
Enzo's Lad completes a quartet of Group 1 winners for Testa Rossa (Aus), and is the best foal of three winners out of his winning dam, herself a half-sister to G2 Schillaci S. heroine Patpong (Aus) (Royal Academy). Listed victress Rouquin (Aus) (Paris Prince), second dam of Enzo's Lad, was placed twice at the highest level in Australia, including when second in the G1 VATC 1000 Guineas and she ran third in the G1 Flight S. Click for the free Arion.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Saturday, Trentham, New Zealand
TELEGRAPH H.-G1, NZ$250,000 (US$181,898/£131,277/€148,828), WRC, 1-20, Open Set Weight With, 1200mT, 1:08.30, Dead.
1–ENZO'S LAD (AUS) , 55.5, g, 5, by Testa Rossa (Aus)
1st Dam: Sheerama (Aus), by Catbird (Aus)
2nd Dam: Rouquin (Aus), by Paris Prince (USA)
3rd Dam: Makena (Aus), by Comeram (Fr)
1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (A$15,000 Ylg 2014 MM
A National Yearling Sale). O-N P Beban, P G Bentley, K N
Bradley, S W Grant, J Jacobsen, P Murphy, M R Pitman, I & Mrs
L Vibert; B-Reavill Farm Management NSW; T-M & M Pitman;
J-S R Weatherley; NZ$146,875. Lifetime Record: 20-5-5-2,
NZ$231,200. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Kawi, 59.0, g, 7, Savabeel (AUS)–Magic Time, by Volksraad
(GB). O-A A Baeyertz, J P Goodin, T Kemp, G A Macdonald, G H
Phillips, B R & S A Sharrock; B-Mrs C M & J P Goodin, Central,
NZ; T-S A Sharrock; J-J L Waddell; NZ$47,000.
3–Ferrando, 55.5, h , 4, Fast 'n' Famous (Aus)–Rio Nugget, by
Captain Rio (GB) .(NZ$40,000 2YO 2015 NZB Ready to Run
Sale). O-Fatesal Holdings Ltd, D E & Mrs E M Olsen, R R
Ratcliffe, Redbank Pty Ltd (Mgr: P Favretto), G A Rogerson
Mnzm, G N Wealleans & G R Wilson; B-Mrs E A Cowell &
Killarney Bay Bloodstock Ltd, Auckland, NZ; T-Team Rogerson;
J-M Cameron; NZ$23,500.
Margins: HD, HD, 1. Odds: 73.00, 4.40, 15.10.
Also Ran: Passing Shot, Heroic Valour (Aus), Carnival, Volpe Veloce (Aus), Miss Wilson (Aus), Chambord, Volks Lightning, Rock My Soul (Aus), Sacred Star (Aus), Signify, Sensei (Aus), Packing Pins, Start Wondering, Starvoia (Aus), Rocanto.
Click for the Racing Post chart. NZ Racing Video.
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