Stakes' Win for Quattro Quinta
Date: 17 Jan 2021
A beautifully judged 100thwinning ride for the season by Danielle Johnson enabledQuattro Quinta (2 g Darci Brahma - Quintette, by Alamosa) victory in the $50,000 IRT No. 1 Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1000m).
Having benefitted from a trial on Tuesday at Matamata, where he kept up a strong gallop to win, Quattro Quinta has been the epitome of professionalism throughout his racing career, with a comfortable win on debut in September at Ellerslie, second in the Pearl Series 2YO 1000 metres on 7 November at Te Rapa, second again off a wide run in the Fasttrack Insurance Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on 21 November at Pukekohe, and a hard fought stakes win on Saturday at Trentham.
His demeanour is one of concentration on the job at hand, and his two wins and two seconds from four starts is testament to a combination of ability and the right attitude.
With gate speed to cross and lead from barrier four, the prospects for Quattro Quinta greyed for a time when Wolfgang (Puccini) swept up to head him a furlong out but such was his defiance that he fought back to gain ascendency near the line.
On (Dead4) footing attested by jockeys to be perfect, Quattro Quinta ran the 1000 metres in one of the better overall times for the race (57.5) and shortened in betting to return $1.80 & $1.20 on the NZ TAB tote.
“He's a real little racehorse and we have to make the most of him this year because he doesn't have a lot of scope to train on,†said Champion trainer Jamie Richards. “That's why he's in work doing the job.
“It was a tough effort, but take nothing away from the second horse who sat four deep and there was plenty of respect around his run as well.
“It was especially good to win with a homebred that Dave and Karyn and a great group of owners bred.â€
Richards said Quattro Quinta would now be set for the Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 2, 1200m) on 27 February at Matamata (Breeders' Stakes Day), ahead of the two juvenile Group 1 races at Ellerslie, and Awapuni.
“That was gutsy and a fantastic win,†said David Peacocke, on course, who shares in both the breeding and ownership of Quattro Quinta.
The first two-year-old to step out this season for Richards, who has since prepared eight individual winning juveniles of 13 races, Quattro Quinta is bred and owned by Karyn Fenton-Ellis (MNZM), Greg Tomlinson, David and Matthew Peacocke, and Oliver Saxton.
“It was very exciting to see him win a stakes' race,†said Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM. “Jamie has done an outstanding job with this horse and he's owned by some good friends of ours.
“He became our 17thstakes winner this season in New Zealand, to go with two in Australia, making it 19. All the staff have done great job with him. Enzo (Di Leoni) reared him here on the farm and it's a big team effort.
“And wasn't it exciting to see Danielle (Johnson) record her 100thwin this season in a stakes race, and in the tangerine colours. She's riding in career best form and rating the horses brilliantly.â€
Johnson said after the win: “I was just waiting for him to change legs down the straight and find that extra little bit.
“Shaun's (McKay) horse wasn't going away and it was a dogfight down the straight, but he lifted to win really well. Like all jockeys, he's got attitude and small.
“100, finally, ticked it off and it would be nice also to win a couple of Group Ones on the day.â€
The dam of Quattro Quinta, Quintette (Alamosa), was a stakes placed winner, finishing runner-up at just her second start as a two-year-old in the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) on NZ Cup at Riccarton, while grand-dam Everswindell (Align) finished second in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) and third in both the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m) and Lowland Stakes (Gr. 3, 2100m), before placing in the Wellington Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m) and winning the New Zealand Cup (Gr. 2, 3200m).
Quattro Quinta has a cross of immortal sire Northern Dancer (Nearctic), through the sire line of Champion Sire Darci Brahma (Danehill) and dam-sire line of Quintette.
Quattro Quinta was strapped by Trevor Stewart.
Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz
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