Exciting stayer The Precursor (St Jean) literally monstered his rivals to claim an impressive victory in the $350,000 Life Direct Remutaka Classic (2100m) at Trentham on Saturday.
The statuesque five-year-old towers over most of his race rivals and made good use of that impressive frame to stretch away from fellow Cambridge visitor Roctave over the concluding stages of the contest after enjoying a trouble-free run just behind the pace for rider Masa Hashizume.
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-prepared son of the ill-fated stallion St Jean, who took out the 2017 Gr.3 City Of Auckland Cup (2400m) before heading to stud, has always looked a stayer with tremendous potential after entering the stable of Shaun and Hazel Fannin for owner Graham Stewart, who purchased him for A$20,000 in an Inglis Digital online sale in late 2024.
The Precursor had won once from five starts for the Ciaron Maher stable in Victoria before heading to New Zealand and was sent north to James and Wellwood after two placings from two starts for the Fannin team, where he started Saturday’s contest as the $4.30 second favourite off the back of two further placings and a win over 1600m at New Plymouth.
Hashizume made perfect use of barrier four by heading forward at the start and getting one off behind pacemakers Platinum Goddess and Shaking Stevens before leaving the straight for the first time.
Applying the pressure around the home turn, Hashizume had his mount trucking as he shot to the front and despite being hotly challenged in the final stages, The Precursor drew away late to win comfortably by a neat length at the line.
Hashizume was quick to point out there was plenty more in the tank of the winner who is still learning the game.
“He just does it so easily,” Hashizume said.
“He just does what he has to do and when I galloped him on Thursday he was so laid back.
“He had a good draw today and got in a good spot. He was just wandering along all the way up the straight but never stopping and he feels like he isn’t trying, but I knew if I asked him for another 600m he would give it to me.”
Wellwood was delighted to get the win after stablemate Ariadne (NZ) (Almanzor) had been narrowly beaten in the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) one race earlier.
“We’ve had him for three runs now and he ran two good races over a mile before a big run at Ellerslie which gave us a lot of confidence,” he said.
“I think he is a horse with a future but we won’t make any decisions until we get him home and see how he pulls up.
“I do think he will be a Cups horse in the future, although he still has a lot of maturing to do, albeit he is a five-year-old, but he is a nice horse in the making.
“He has strengthened since we got him and we know he is going to stay.”
The Precursor holds a nomination for the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) on 7 March where he sits as the $6 favourite in the TAB Fixed Odds market.
He has now won three of his 10 starts and over $252,000 in prizemoney.