Group Two winner Cognito snapped a 22-month win drought in emphatic style in Saturday’s $50,000 Join TAB Racing Club Open (1580m) at Riccarton.
The son of So You Think won three races as a three-year-old headed by the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m), and he performed with credit at four with a third in the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m), fourth in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) and sixth in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m).
However, a third placing in the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) was the highlight of a winless nine-start campaign last season for Cognito, and he stepped out at Riccarton on Saturday with no victories to his name from 15 starts dating all the way back to October 2023.
But a return to Te Akau Racing’s Christchurch base, where Cognito ran a close sixth behind Pier, Desert Lightning and Prowess in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in his most recent visit in the spring of 2022, has turned his fortunes around.
Cognito was ridden by Courtney Barnes on Saturday and went out as a $13 chance in a field headed by Tumuch ($3.40), Cork ($5) and the winner’s stablemate Stonybreck ($6.50).
Barnes took up a handy position just behind the front-runners Ears Back and Riviera Rebel, then drove Cognito in between that pair coming up to the home turn.
Cognito quickly headed Ears Back at the top of the straight and kicked away. Riviera Rebel chased bravely, with Stonybreck eating into the margin with big strides wider out on the track, but Cognito held them both out and won by a length.
“It was good to see that performance from him today,” Barnes said. “He’d had a couple of trials in good company up north, so I was confident he’d go okay today, but to see him back in winning form is really good.
“My instructions were to go forward. He jumped well and got there easily behind Ears Back and Kylie Williams’ horse (Riviera Rebel). I knew I was in a good position and I was pretty confident from there.
“I think he can get back to a high level again off this first-up performance. He’s still got some improvement in him.”
Bought by David Ellis for A$165,000 from the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale, Cognito has now had 27 starts for five wins, three seconds and six thirds. He has earned $282,220 in stakes for the Te Akau Think Ahead Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson took special satisfaction from seeing Cognito back at his best on Saturday.
“It was a really good run to win fresh-up like that,” Walker said. “He looks to have come back in great order after having surgery for kissing spine on his back.
“So it’s encouraging to see him resume racing with a win and Courtney rode a top race. He’ll step up now for an open 1800m race at Riccarton in a fortnight. The way he ran through the line gives us confidence going forward.
“The owners have been very patient with him and it’s great to see him reward them with another win.”
A potential late-spring target for Cognito is the Gr.3 Join TAB Racing Club Mile (1600m) on the middle day of Riccarton’s New Zealand Cup Carnival on November 12. Saturday’s win saw him make a big move up the TAB’s market for that $250,000 feature, going from $51 into $18. He is now on the sixth line of favouritism behind Captured By Love ($10), Checkmate ($10), Mary Shan ($10), Tardelli ($12) and Matscot ($16).
“He’s found a bit of form down here and let’s hope he carries on,” said assistant trainer Hunter Durrant, who oversees the team’s Riccarton operation. “Getting back on a good track today was key. He jumped well and Courtney put him in the race. It was a great ride. All going well, we’ll head towards something like the TAB Mile.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.
