Back-to-back G2 Wins For Proisir's Waitak

Breednet - Saturday March 29

Last year’s Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) winner Waitak has showcased his versatility and class this autumn with a dominant double over 1600m and 2100m.

Waitak winning the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

The son of Proisir was a three-length winner of the Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga on March 15, and on Saturday he stepped up over even further and won the Gr.2 City of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham with similar ease.

Waitak has joined a rare club, becoming only the second horse to win both the Railway and the Awapuni Gold Cup. The first was Stretto, who won both races in 1938.

This month’s feature double has been a welcome turnaround for Waitak, who went winless for more than a year after his Railway triumph but was close up in fourth in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), fifth in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), third in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m), third in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m), second in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1200m), sixth in the Railway, fourth in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) and sixth in the Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m).

Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott had no fears about stepping Waitak back up in distance this autumn. Waitak had previously proven himself over more ground as a three-year-old, finishing a close second in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) in February of 2023 and fifth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) that March.

Scott has taken special satisfaction from seeing the five-year-old back in the winning groove this month.

“It’s been a wicked team effort,” he said. “He’s been running so well all season, including running the fastest last 600m in three Group One races in a row, but things just haven’t quite worked out for him. After a frustrating run through the spring and summer, it’s great to see him performing like this in the autumn.

“The quick pace at Tauranga last start really set it up for him to boom home. He’s done it again today and it’s just really good to see him successfully stepping up over ground. It opens up so many more options for him next season, with a lot of races we can aim at around the 2000m mark.

“When they learn to relax and settle, they can run out the longer trips much stronger. He’s a big horse that’s only just learning. The penny is still dropping in terms of him relaxing and quickening, and that’s what the game is all about. He’ll be a big, sound six-year-old next season and could be in for a very good year.”

Advertisement

Ryan Elliot rode Waitak for the first time in the Japan Trophy and produced a masterful ride, guiding the gelding through along the rail to charge home from last and score a dominant win.

The same partnership struck again on Saturday, this time coming from midfield with a barnstorming finish down the outside.

Elliot pushed the button at the top of the straight and Waitak went into overdrive, bursting to the lead and going clear to win by two and a quarter lengths. Manifique produced a big late finish for second, with front-runner Town Cryer holding on bravely for third.

“He’s a lovely horse,” Elliot said. “If you present him at the right time, he takes you a long way.

“It’s a big trip down here, and stepping up over this sort of distance for the first time in a couple of years isn’t easy. But he’s done it very well today. If he can keep going like this, he could step up to some of those 2000m races at Ellerslie next season. He’s got an electric turn of foot.

“They ran along at a decent tempo today and he’s done it easily.”

By Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - City Of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup Gr2 2100m

Trentham Track: Good(4) Time: 2:09.30
1
Waitak
- 5g Proisir (AUS) x Repo Bay (NZ) (Shocking (AUS))
Tnr: L O'sullivan & A Scott Rdr: R T Elliot 58.00
2
2.3
Manifique
- 6m Savabeel (AUS) x Shez Sinsational (NZ) (Ekraar (USA))
Tnr: Peter Didham Rdr: M Hashizume 53.00
3
2.5
Town Cryer
- 7m Tavistock (NZ) x The Speaker (NZ) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: R J Bergerson Rdr: S C Spratt 55.00
4
2.7
What You Wish For
- 4h Embellish (NZ) x Grand Wish (AUS) (Smart Missile (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: M J Mc Nab 55.50
5
2.9
Whangaehu
- 6g Proisir (AUS) x Pinot Grieve (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: W J Thurlow Rdr: C J Grylls 56.00
6
3.7
Prince Alby
- 6g Sacred Falls (NZ) x Oya (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe (USA))
Tnr: Kelvin Tyler Rdr: L T Hemi 55.00
7
3.9
Drop Of Something
- 5g Telperion (AUS) x Nothing Moore (NZ) (Don Eduardo (NZ))
Tnr: W P Hillis Rdr: V A Colgan 55.00
8
5.3
Orlov
- 7g Sweynesse (AUS) x Diamond Cut (NZ) (Guillotine (NZ))
Tnr: D R Haworth Rdr: K R Hercock 55.00
9
5.7
Ess Vee Are
- 6g Shocking (AUS) x Reiveke (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Darryn & Briar Weatherley Rdr: Matthew Cartwright 55.00
10
6.4
Midnight Blue
- 8g So You Think (NZ) x Midnight Special (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: G Rooke 55.50
11
6.7
Outovstock
- 4g Tavistock (NZ) x Orphea (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: C K Ormsby Rdr: Joe Doyle 55.50
More Reading...
Sir Delius Delivers G1 Turnbull Stakes Win
Adding Saturday’s $750,000 Group 1 VRC Turnbull Stakes (2000m) to his Group 1 MRC Underwood Stakes (1800m) victory last start, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Sir Delius further enhanced his outstanding reputation ahead of an assault on the WS Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
War Machine Stakes Everest Claim - G2 Gilgai
David Hayes has a New Zealand-bred superstar heading into the A$20 million Gr.1 The Everest (1200m) in two weeks, where his sons Ben, Will and JD Hayes might line up against him with a Kiwi-bred Group One winner of their own.
G1 Winning Proisir Sprinter Confirmed for $5million Quokka
Wexford Stables will break new ground next month with their Group One-winning sprinter Waitak heading to Western Australia.
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 4
Here is the full list of 119 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Proisir 6YO Waitak Captures Another G1
Saturday's Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa took Waitak past the million-dollar barrier and added another triumphant chapter to his unique Group One record.
Sensational Seven - Autumn Glow Remains Unbeaten With G1 Epsom Victory
Chasing her first Group 1 victory and in the process attempting to remain unbeaten, outstanding 4yo mare Autumn Glow did all that and more, jumping from the outside barrier to give Chris Waller his sixth victory in the $1.5m Group 1 ATC Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Proisir Sprinter Chasing G1 Double
After being nothing short of spectacular in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day, emerging sprinter Waitak will hunt a Group One double in Saturday’s BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa.
Miraval Rose Impresses With G2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes Win
Already a Listed winner at 3 and 4, Grahame Begg’s Grunt mare Miraval Rose added her third black type victory to her record, winning the $300,000 Group 2 VRC Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1400m) in style at Flemington on Saturday.
Pedigree Watch – Juvenile Stakes-Winners
Three new season juvenile stakes races on Saturday produced a $1million yearling purchase that gave Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside the perfect start to his stud career, a pinhook winner turned stakes-winner and a colt foaled in Australia with a Kiwi pedigree.
G1 Metrop Win for Australian Bloodstock
Second in the Italian Derby at three, progressive stayer Royal Supremacy (IRE) had racked up multiple Group placings in Europe before his sale to Australian Bloodstock and broke through for his first ever stakes win when taking out the $750,000 Group I ATC The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday.