Matamata visitor Harlech made the trip down to Wingatui on Saturday a profitable one as he blitzed his rivals by four lengths in the Listed Nellies Restaurant & Bar Hazlett Stakes (1400m).
Trainer Pam Gerard sent the eight-year-old south fresh up, having last raced when fourth of nine at Otaki back in November.
Placed three times at Group One level as a younger horse, the Oaks Stud-bred son of Darci Brahma hadn’t visited the winners’ enclosure since May 2024 but didn’t let that statistic faze him as he produced a stunning performance in the hands of Kylie Williams to capture his fifth career victory.
Williams bided her time behind pacemakers Willis and The Radiant One who led the 10-strong field a merry dance out in front before she peeled three-wide into the home straight.
Harlech simply bounded clear at this point and held on strongly to defeat The Radiant One and Adannaya, who finished well to claim third.
Gerard was at Te Rapa putting the finishing touches on star three-year-old Savaglee before the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) but caught the race on television.
“He has stolen the show today and it was just so good to see him back like that,” Gerard said.
“In all fairness, he was very good at Otaki, but we had a hiccup with him after an adverse reaction to some medication so we had to back off him and get ready to come down south.
“He went down there early and has been chilling out and really thriving on the routine he has got into. He is a very happy horse and he seems to have his mojo back now.”
Gerard indicated the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m) at Wingatui on 1 March is now the main target for her charge.
“We went down there to test the waters and see if he could handle the track and I think we got the answer we were looking for,” she said. “He will stay down there now and hopefully he can get even better over the next three weeks.”
Gerard was also delighted with the performance of Savaglee, who fought hard for third behind Aussie raiders Here To Shock and Bosustow in the Te Rapa sprint feature.
“He has pulled up super and we are thrilled with him as he was the first Kiwi-trained horse home,” she said. “Being a colt, he probably wasn’t really suited own on the fence as he was cluttered up a bit and then got held up for a few strides when he was trying to clear that pocket behind Babylon Berlin.
“Sam (Spratt, rider) said he is looking for the mile now so he is right on track for the Australian Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) on 1 March.”
Raced by a large group including Dame Sian Elias and Hugh Fletcher, Harlech is out of the former top race mare Obsession, who won the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and also finished third in the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) during her career on the track.
He was purchased by bloodstock agent Paul Moroney for $100,000 out of the Oaks Stud draft at Karaka in 2018 and has now won five races and secured more than $604,000 in prizemoney from his 43 career starts
By Kevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
