With one hundred metres left to run in Saturday's Group II Hyland Race Colours Autumn Stakes at Caulfield, the winning run of Mahuta looked certain to come to an end as he was on tired legs with the chasing pack rapidly closing in.
But Brad Rawiller extracted everything that Mahuta had to offer as the son of Flying Spur extended his winning sequence to six with a short-half-head victory over Sailing By (Fastnet Rock) with Snoop (Lope De Vega) a half-length back in third. (photos Grant Courtney).
The winner of a Kyneton maiden in October, Mahuta has reeled off a Listed win at Caulfield a Group III at Flemington, a Group II at Sandown and the $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.
His 8-start career has yielded six wins and 1 second with prizemoney of $1,688,460.
Winning trainer Darren Weir said the Australian Guineas is the target for the son of Flying Spur.
"He wasn't at his best today but he did it the hard way, maybe got going a bit early and he walked a bit the last 100 yards," Weir said.
"It was five weeks between runs and that will clean him up nicely for the Australian Guineas."
Bred by John Johnstone, Mahuta was a $35,000 purchase by his trainer from the Redbank North draft at the 2014 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling sale.
He is the second
A three-quarter sister to Group 1 AJC Champagne Stakes winner Isolda (Sir Tristram).Vahine was purchased by Bert Vieira for $280,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare sale when carrying a Foxwedge filly.
Vahine missed to I Am Invincible in 2014 and was covered by Pierro last spring.