Saturday Double - A Perfect Scenario Indeed

Preparing to defend his Group Three course victory, Perfect Scenario (6 g Iffraaj – Rosetti Bay, by Pins) won the $50,000 Open Handicap 1400 metres on Saturday at Wingatui.

The impressive White Robe Lodge (Gr. 3, 1600m) winner from last season was weighted according (60kg) in a capacity field when resuming with a terrific victory in the $75,000 Wuhan Jockey Club Open Handicap 1400 metres on New Zealand Cup Day at Riccarton, and most recently had run on without threatening in the Timaru Heritage Cup (Open Handicap, 1600m) on 28 December at Timaru.

Ridden by apprentice Ngakau Hailey (a3), claiming weight relief to 59kg, Perfect Scenario effectively settled three back outer in the field of six and once presented to the outside on straightening he gobbled up his rivals to win going away by a neat length.

In the race sponsored by Meenan’s, Otago Tyres & Barnyard Mainfeeds, Perfect Scenario ran 1400 metres in a polished 1:22.4 on Good4 footing and drifted in betting to pay $4.90 & $2.20 on the NZ TAB tote.

“It was another great win, loves the South Island, and Hunter (Durrant) is doing a fantastic job with the Te Akau horses stabled at Riccarton,” said co-trainer Mark Walker.

“He’ll go back to defend his crown in the White Robe Lodge, the Group Three weight-for-age, in three weeks time.

“It was really good to see him sprint like that to win and well ridden by young Ngakau Hailey (17), too.”

The $120,000 White Robe Lodge (Gr. 3, 1600m) is contested on Saturday 3 February at Wingatui. In the corresponding race last year, Perfect Scenario received a saloon passage near the rail turning for home, with Te Akau apprentice Joe Kamaruddin aboard, and displayed a scintillating finish to win by nearly four lengths. 

Perfect Scenario was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $165,000 at 2019 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Woburn Farm, for owners in the Te Akau Perfection Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

“He’s a really good horse, Perfect Scenario, from being stakes' placed as three-year-old in the Waikato Guineas (Gr. 2, 2000m) and still racing so well for his owners now as a six-year-old, it’s a real credit to the horse and those that look after him,” said Ellis, back home after a successful week purchasing 10 lots at the 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“He won very well under a big weight fresh-up at Riccarton, and to me he looks in the right form to defend his White Robe Lodge title.

“Hunter Durrant is looking after the horses and he’s just a superstar young horseman and somebody that I’m very proud to have in the team. He’s worked for us quite a while now and he’s got a good team of people to help him down there at Riccarton. 

“I’m back home and going around all the horses on the farm and on Monday we start looking at Karaka yearlings again, leading up to the sales that start there on 28 January.

“It’s a busy time of the year for all our team, but a fun time of the year, too, and we’re getting a steady stream of winners which is always our aim.

“It was at the coinciding meeting a year ago at Tauranga that Mark (Walker) got the fastest ever 100 wins in a season, and he and Sam (Bergerson) are on 96 wins this season, so they’re tracking pretty well again.”

By high-quality stallion Iffraaj (Zafonic), his dam Rosetti Bay (Pins) was an impressive Group Three winner and multiple group placed mare that won eight races and in addition to Perfect Scenario she had already left very good stakes' winning mare Queens Rose (O’Reilly), who also won eight times. 

Rosetti Bay was a very good race mare, with class and quality and, similarly, she too displayed a great turn of foot. Perfect Scenario has been sparingly raced to win eight races, nearing on $300,000 in prize money, and continues to produce excellent form.

Perfect Scenario was strapped by Tayla-Jo Melvin.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz