A tenacious front-running performance in Saturday’s A$160,000 Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill added a first city victory to Puntin’s burgeoning record.
The New Zealand-bred three-year-old gelding has now had six starts for four wins and two seconds, earning A$184,400 for his big group of owners.
Puntin stepped up to 1400m on Saturday after a narrow last-start defeat over 1250m at Canterbury on June 9. Drawn gate seven in a nine-horse field, Puntin was pushed forward by jockey Ash Morgan and quickly took up the lead. He never relinquished that position, digging deep when challenged in the straight and holding on to score a tough win by a short neck.
“I was open to taking a sit today, but they put me into a position where had to grab the bull by the horns a little bit,” Morgan said. “Luckily, when he was there, he relaxed for me really well.
“I felt like I was going to be vulnerable late because of that work in the first furlong, but he is an incredibly tough horse with a lovely attitude. He kept sticking his head out.”
Puntin brought up the 150th win of a career-best season for expat New Zealand trainer Bjorn Baker.
“It's never easy to win on a Saturday and I think there is more in store for Puntin, he has a great winning record,” Baker said. “He was tough and it was a good ride. I still think the best is yet to come, once we get him up over a bit further.”
Puntin was bred by Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock, who also raced the gelding’s Caulfield Guineas-winning sire Super Seth. Now standing at Waikato Stud, Super Seth has made an enormous impact this year with Group One-winning progeny Feroce, Linebacker, La Dorada and Maison Louis.
Puntin is out of the winning Encosta De Lago mare Stella Grace, who is a full-sister to the stakes winner Risk Aversion and a half-sister to the multiple Group Two winner Shania Dane. Three-quarter-sister Subsequent is the dam of Group One winner Summer Passage.
Haunui Farm offered Puntin during Book 1 of Karaka 2023, where Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock bought him for $60,000. – NZ Racing Desk.
