Matamata Double - Second Leg

Here is our second winner for today - congratulations to Prospero!

Making it two on the day for the Te Akau team at Matamata, and securing a hat-trick for stable rider Matt Cameron, Prospero (5 g High Chaparral - Alfred's Jewel, Le Belvedere) was another to exude the right levels of fitness in his energy sapping performance over 2000 metres in the Farmlands Matamata Handicap.

From the outside gate in a field of fourteen, and carrying the 59-kilos top-weight, Prospero was on the move as early as the 1000 metres. But matter little did the arduous task as the powerful gelding circled to take command into the straight and then lengthened like a good horse when under threat late in the piece.

Scoring by a long head on the Heavy10 footing, Prospero made it two wins from three starts in this campaign after resuming with a comprehensive win at Paeroa, and indicated there is more to come for owners David Devonshire, Carey Pearce, and Rex Pearce.

“He just needed the other horse to come at him,” said jockey Matt Cameron. “He pricked his ears a bit when he got to the front around the turn and ran about a bit, but he had travelled sweet and I just had him on to keep running.

“It was a huge, huge effort under the big weight,” said trainer Jason Bridgman. “He will now get into the next grade (Benchmark 75) on the minimum and that will help him. 

Prospero is a half-brother to Winter Cup (Gr. 3, 1600m) winner Superturf (Black Minnaloushe), Turfstar (Danske), and King Kalani (Askalani), a family noted for handling rain-affected footing. His dam, Alfred's Jewel, is a half-sister to impressive winning mare Beaujolais (Classic Fame).

Despite the big effort, Prospero was reported to have recovered quickly afterwards. He had been feeling well before the race as evidenced in his work and has the makings of a horse that can continue to progress.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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