Testa Rossa Sprinter Chasing History

Media Release - Monday January 13

Enzo’s Lad will attempt to become the third horse in history to win three Gr.1 Telegraph’s (1200m) at Trentham on Saturday.

Enzo's Lad - Race ImagesThe son of Testa Rossa has won the last two editions of the JR & N Berkett-sponsored race and trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman are hopeful of adding to that tally this weekend.

“It’s going to be a good field as per usual and hopefully he will be cherry ripe by Saturday,” Michael Ptiman said.

“When he won it the first year I don’t think he got the credit he deserved.

“The second time around proved that it wasn’t a fluke. If he won it three years in a row it would be a massive effort.”

Since last year’s victory, Enzo’s Lad has collected a few frequent flyer points, having campaigned in both Hong Kong and the United Kingdom at the famed Royal Ascot meeting.

Enzo’s Lad finished unplaced in all three runs and Pitman said signs of the travel are still showing on the seven-year-old.

“He’s been hanging on to a winter coat, which sounds strange given we are in the middle of summer, but when we got to England he had grown a winter coat leading into their summer, so we had to clip him.

“While he has been hanging on to his winter coat I have seen a lot of improvement in the last fortnight.”

Although Enzo’s Lad has tailed the field home in two of his three starts back in New Zealand this term, Pitman said he needs firm ground in order to produce his best effort.

Pitman has taken a different approach with Enzo’s Lad this year, electing to bring him north a week before his Wellington assignment.

“He is up here (Trentham) at the moment,” Pitman said. “We have done things a bit different because he is an older horse. I brought him up with the horses we raced on the first day just to do something different with him.

Advertisement

“We are really happy with the horse.”

The Riccarton conditioners will also contest the race with fellow sprinter Sensei who dead-heated for third in last year’s Telegraph.

“Sensei is an extremely good galloper, he’s probably the fastest horse we have had anything to do with,” Pitman said.

“Last year he drew near enough the outside barrier. His run the other day (finishing third in the Hazlett Stakes) was first-class.

“He’s a duffer on a wet track, but he managed to run third at Dunedin and went absolutely super.”

The Dream Ahead gelding will go into Saturday in good form, having won the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) and finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Stewards Stakes Handicap (1200m).

“Sensei is going really well, we are really happy with him, but he will also need to have a firm track,” Pitman said.

“He is a top-class horse, but the weight-for-age probably doesn’t suit him as much as it does Enzo’s Lad.”

Sam Weatherley has been booked to ride Sensei, while Michael McNab will be reunited with Enzo’s Lad.

Sensei is currently at $10 on the TAB’s Telegraph futures market, while Enzo’s Lad is at $21 behind race favourite Avantage at $4. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
The Novelist Returns to Form
The very first stakes-winner for his sire Written By when winning the Group III BRC BJ McLachlan Stakes in December 2022, The Novelist made light of the heavy 10 track at Rosehill on Saturday to claim another victory.
Victorian Breeders Celebrate Annual Awards Night
The 2025 Victorian Breeding Awards has once again showcased the outstanding achievements within Victoria’s thoroughbred breeding and racing industry.
King of Roseau Wins G3 Aurie’s Star
Placed in the Listed VRC Poseidon Stakes at Flemington last spring as a three year-old behind Growing Empire, Capitalist gelding King of Roseau returned to the same venue on Saturday to capture the Group III VRC Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
Inglis Digital Bargain Buys Deliver Kosciuszko Dreamers
Sunshine Law was not the only Inglis Digital success story to come out of the Rosehill meeting on Saturday with two contenders for this year’s $2million Kosciuszko also giving connections cause to dream big and one of them is an unbeaten mare with a Black Type pedigree.
MM Yearling Sales 2026 Open for Entry
The 2026 Magic Millions Yearling Sales - from the Gold Coast in January to Perth and Tasmania in February and the Gold Coast and Adelaide in March - are ready to deliver more groundbreaking results.
Shooting to Win Relocating to Yarradale Stud
Yarradale Stud has purchased Group 1 racehorse and sire Shooting To Win to cover his first book at its Gidgegannup property this season.
Per Incanto Mare Wins $100,000 Polytrack Championship
Synthetic flyer Cosentino silenced any doubt about running out the seven furlongs with a blistering performance to claim Sunday’s $100,000 Japac Homes Polytrack Championship (1400m) at Awapuni.
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 2
Here is the full list of 101 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Sunday August 3
Here is the full list of 57 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Alma Vale Thoroughbreds Welcome First foal for Ozzmosis
The next chapter for Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis has officially begun with the arrival of his first foal. A bay colt out of the stakes-placed mare Cool Change (NZ) was born last night at Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, marking a significant milestone for the exciting son of Zoustar.