It may have taken a little longer than trainers Kevin and Stephen Gray had hoped, but well-related gelding So We Go (NZ) (Embellish) finally broke through for his maiden victory at Wanganui on Saturday.
A son of Cambridge Stud resident stallion Embellish, So We Go is a full brother to their Group One performed mare Luberon, who placed in last year’s Gr.1 Railway (1200m) after winning the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) and Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m).
So We Go also carries the gold and black silks of Cambridge Stud principals Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay, and while he had shown plenty of promise for the Grays, it wasn’t until his sixth start that he was able to reward his connections with a winning cheque.
Ridden by stable jockey Bruno Queiroz, So We Go was sent forward from his outside draw in the six-horse field to secure the coveted one-one position where he did no work until being asked to improve three-wide at the home turn.
Queiroz pushed the go button and So We Go immediately responded, extending with every bound to record a 3-1/4 length victory, with Queiroz believing the addition of blinkers were a telling factor.
“It was a great job by the trainers, they put blinkers on this horse and he went well,” he said.
“He jumped quick and when I saw two horses (up front) I was happy to sit behind the pace, relax and he had a strong finish.
“It was a bit of a small field, but my horse travelled well and in the last 200m the blinkers made a big difference.”
Stephen Gray was rapt to get the win for the Lindsays.
“He has got a bit of ability, it has just taken a lot of time,” Gray said. “It is great to train for these sort of people, they have probably been more frustrated than me I would say.
“He is well related and blinkers were always going to make him better and he probably liked the softer track too.
“I think he has got a good future and I am very honoured to have those colours down in the CD.”