Close Up took the honours in the first Group I contest of the season in New Zealand at Hastings on Saturday but Gingernuts stood out on his return to action.
Close Up was settled behind the leaders in the Group I Tarzino Trophy (1400m) by Grant Cooksley who drove between runners in the straight to defeat Aide Memoire by half a neck with Underthemoonlight charging late for third.
The favourite Kawi began slowly and finished gamely on the fence for fourth while last season's New Zealand Derby winner Gingernuts finished powerfully from the back after being involved in a scrimmage around the home turn.
Close Up wins the G1 Tarzino Trophy for an emotional trainer Shelly Hale who lost Close Up's famous mother Regelle recently #DaffodilRacedaypic.twitter.com/1EqRTi50lj
— TAB Racing (@TAB_Racing) September 2, 2017
Close Up only made it into the field after scratchings and is trained by Shelley Hale who is also co-breeder and part-owner of the eight-year-old who was winning at stakes level for the first time.
"This is just incredibly special," Hale told NZ Racing Desk. "This little horse can't run in summer, his joints can't hack it, so we picked a path through winter into this. It's just magic."
Runner-up in the Group II Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa at his previous start, Close Up is now likely to return to Hawke's Bay for the Group I Windsor Park Plate (1600m) in three weeks' time.
"He's only had one other go at a mile and that was on a bog track at New Plymouth so we'll be coming back here," Hale said.
