Matamata Winning Double - No.1 Win Navalha

A proven selection method resulted in Navalha (3 g Sebring - Afiado, by Encosta De Lago) winning the $10,000 Ancroft Stud Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 23 December at Matamata, at his first NZ start. 

Navalha had previously finished fourth from three starts in NSW, looked good finding the line in two trials and delivered at his first start for the Fortuna Navalha Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin).

Seen closing at the trials, Navalha seemed disadvantaged by a wide draw (13) but rider Opie Bosson summed things up to press forward and take control, capitalizing on reluctance from others, and it worked out perfectly.

“It was a top win and a very good ride,” Galvin said. “The instructions to Opie (Bosson) were to give him a dig out of the gates and get him into a midfield position, but the horses inside weren't that keen to kick-up and he got to the lead quite softly.

“He was able to dictate things from there. A couple of taps over the shoulder early in the run home and a couple of more serious clicks late in the run and he did it comfortably in the end.”

On footing upgraded to Dead4, Navalha ran the 1200 metres in 1:11.3, last 600m in 35.1, and paid $5.30 & $1.70 on the NZ TAB tote.

“After missing the kick at the trials we thought he might be back in the field and finding the line, but he jumped well and Opie (Bosson) summed it up well,” said trainer Jamie Richards. “He got across without doing any work and it's why he's so good at assessing things and making the right decision.

“I was really pleased. It was a good tough effort and he'll continue to improve. He's a good sort and has a nice pedigree, and the team at the Colt Barn have done a good job with him. Farriers Kim Hughes and Gareth Allis have also done a good job on his feet and all came to fruition.”

John Galvin added: “I think he'd shown enough at the trials to give us confidence that he could perform well today and Jamie's thoughts were to get a nice run in midfield and run home strongly, and step up next time and win. But, today, he managed to do it anyway.

As to how he was acquired, Galvin said: “This is a typical model that Mark Walker and I have put into play over the past two and a half years of buying horses to go to Singapore.

“The profile is: nicely bred horses that high profile ownership groups have paid big money for at the yearling sales, with the aim of turning them into stallion prospects. And as soon as they show they are either not up to Group One level or city class level, or coltish, and need to be gelded, they just flick them on. So, we've been buying these horses mainly off Inglis Digital (online auction) and sending them to Singapore.

“We've had a lot of success with horses like Prohibition, Red Rover, Hadeer and Brutus, which had the same or similar profiles and they've all won in Singapore. So, I said to Mark (Walker) I'd like to buy a similar type of horse and give it to Jamie (Richards).

“The feedback was that he needed to be gelded, so we did that straight away. He spent a few weeks in a paddock at Lime Country (NSW), a month spelling back here at Te Akau, where he filled out and developed, and the rest is history.

“Obviously, for someone to pay $450,000 for him at the yearling sales, and there would have been under-bidders as well, that clearly the market liked the horse. I mean, he's by Sebring, out of an Encosta De Lago mare, so he had a lot going for him in breeding and physically, and there was nothing wrong with his races or trials over there either.”

Navalha was strapped by Sumeet Pillay.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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