In his first racetrack appearance in 105 days, Enrico stormed home from the back of the field for a dominant first-up win in the Trust House Masterton Cup (1400m) at Trentham on Saturday.
The El Roca gelding had shown plenty of promise in his 22 career appearances before Saturday’s heroics, although he had hinted at a preference for longer distances. His four previous victories had come over 1550m, 1600m, 2060m and in a $65,000 Rating 75 over 2200m at Trentham in January. He also ran a close sixth behind the likes of Islington Lass, Wolfgang and Whangaehu in the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) in December.
But the six-year-old’s fresh legs carried him from last to first over Saturday’s significantly shorter trip.
Enrico was patiently ridden by Madan Singh and settled at the back of the field as Reign It In showed the way from King Of Hearts and Bradman through the first half of the race.
The Roydon Bergerson-trained pair of Bradman and Reign It In pressed forward down the extreme outside of the home straight and briefly looked like fighting out the finish, but then Singh drove Enrico between them.
Enrico charged to the lead with 100m remaining and kicked away, beating gallant topweight Bradman by a length and a quarter. Reign It In finished another three-quarters of a length away in third, a head in front of Chantilly Lace.
Enrico is trained by Ilone Kelly in Levin for a group of owner-breeders that includes the highly respected Sylvia Kay.
From 23 starts, Enrico has now recorded five wins and five placings. He has banked $159,917 in prize-money.
“He was great today, wasn’t he,” Kelly said. “I wasn’t too surprised to see him run a good race over the 1400m fresh up, because he ran a good race over the same course and distance in the first run of his last preparation too (fourth in a 1400m Rating 75 at Trentham on October 27). But to get a win today was very nice. We’re thrilled with that performance.”
Enrico has shown a particular fondness for Trentham, where his 10 starts have now produced three wins, a third, two fourths and the Manawatu Cup sixth.
Kelly is in no rush to map out the remainder of Enrico’s autumn and winter campaign.
“I haven’t confirmed any other plans for him at this stage,” she said. “I’m not quite sure yet how heavy he’ll be able to cope with, so we’ll see what happens with track conditions and play it by ear a little bit. I’ll talk about it with Sylvia (Kay) and we’ll make a plan together. But we’re very happy with today’s result anyway.”
By Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
