Exciting three-year-old Yamato Satona will carry colours well-known to the harness racing code when commencing his career at Te Rapa on Saturday.
A colt by Satono Aladdin, Yamato Satona was a $250,000 purchase at the Karaka Yearling Sales by top harness trainer Barry Purdon, his wife Katrina, and Montana Park’s Dean Shannon, who have combined for success with the likes of star pacers Merlin and Sooner The Bettor.
They entrusted Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott with Yamato Satona’s training and while he didn’t appear as a juvenile, Scott noted he showed ability from an early stage.
“Barry and Dean selected him themselves and were kind enough to give us an opportunity to train him, they’ve bought a very nice horse,” he said.
“They have been very patient, and while he probably showed enough to get going at two, Barry was really keen to wait for him to turn three and bring him on then.
“Wexford has a long history of training the odd galloper for the Purdon family, that certainly stems back over many years. Hopefully this one can get to a good level of racing.”
The colt has had five trials over the past twelve months, the most recent of those being the strongest on rain-affected surface at Rotorua, which bodes well for what he is likely to strike in the AM Roofing 1300.
“He has come up very well this spring, he trialled well and we don’t think he’ll mind the sting out of the track,” Scott said.
“While he’s taken on the older horses and some winners, we think he can be putting in a performance that says he’s got a bright future.”
Yamato Satona will be joined in the MAAT contest by stablemate Kusuda Rush, who debuted in the autumn for a third behind Gr.2 Timberspan Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) contender Geneva.
“He’s had the benefit of a run in the autumn and he’s come back a stronger colt,” Scott said.
“He trialled well at Rotorua and he’s another with a good load of ability, just lacks the experience of one or two others.
“We expect both horses to be racing in good three-year-old races through the season.”
Stable stalwart Waitak is expected to appreciate a step up in distance and the soft ground in the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m), having had no favours in the straight when finishing 11th in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) first-up.
“We were well pleased, whilst it was disappointing he didn’t have good fortune, the performance was there,” Scott said. “Both we and Craig (Grylls, jockey) believe that with clear air, he would’ve worked to the line strongly.
“He’s come through the race well having not had a hard run and he’s continued to work on, bearing that in mind. We’ve got a hunch that he enjoys the softer ground, so hopefully he can excel there.
“We don’t think the draw (15) is a bad thing, if the ground is off a little bit, sometimes being out in the wider ground can be an aid. It’s certainly going to give him a chance to relax from the gate, find a rhythm and we’re going in quietly confident of a bold showing.”
It will be take two for She’s All That in the Amore Roses 1200, having missed her resuming run with the late abandonment at Taupo earlier in the month.
Scott has looked on the positive side of that result and has high hopes for the daughter of Time Test as a stronger four-year-old.
“When she went down to Taupo, an outing like that can certainly bring on their condition and the race stimulation of standing in has tightened her up nicely. It had been a while since her trial,” he said.
“She’s a stronger mare which she lacked last year, but she’s bouncing in her work and we think her first run is going to be a real bottler.
“We think she won’t mind a bit of give in the ground, so we’re expecting a bold run fresh.”
Of Wexford’s remaining runners, Scott gave a particular push for stakes winner I’munstoppable, who resumes off a 287-day absence in the Craigs Investment Partners Sprint (1100m), which also features Reptak.
“I’munstoppable has won the Cambridge Breeders Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) there before, and we think she prefers going left-handed, so she should put in a bold performance fresh,” he said.
“Reptak is flying, he’s come out of the winter in good form.
“Ribkraka loves Te Rapa and he’s been super consistent all winter, he’s looking great in the coat and should run another good race. Crackercol is three on the ballot, but his racing is getting better and better and he looks close to a win.
“We’re hopeful of a good day.”
