Measuring Up to Big Brother

The NZ Racing Desk reports:

Xtravagant drew a favourable comparison with a Group One-performed older sibling on Saturday when he booked his passage to Christchurch.

The Pentire three-year-old romped away with the NZTBA Wellington Branch Guineas' Trial at Trentham to follow in the footsteps of his full-brother He's Remarkable to the Gr.1 Sothys NZ 2000 Guineas.

Xtravagant Photo: Race Images Palmerston North

“I remember riding He's Remarkable and they are identical kinds of horses and the penny is just starting to drop with this one,” successful jockey Matt Cameron said.

He's Remarkable finished runner-up to Jimmy Choux in the 2000 Guineas five years ago and he subsequently went on to win the Gr.1 Railway Stakes in Perth, only to be controversially relegated to second in the inquiry room.

He later won a Gr.3 Newcastle Newmarket Handicap and finished third in a Gr.1 Spring Classic at Hastings before his retirement to Mapperley Stud.

An impressive winner of his only two-year-old start, Xtravagant raced outside the leader to the turn at Trentham and it was then just a matter of when Cameron let the colt cut loose.

“He was just cruising and he's the kind of horse that can do a few things wrong, but he was always travelling,” he said.

Cameron slipped Xtravagant a little more rein into the straight and he left his rivals struggling in his wake.

“It was just a track gallop over the 600 metres,” Cameron said. “He needed to win to warrant a start in the Guineas and he's done it.”

Dubaiinstyle also raced with the pace and he fought on strongly for second ahead of Liapari and Perfect Harmonee.

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