Progressive intermediate galloper Kingfisher (NZ) (Savabeel) bounced back to winning form with an impressive victory in Rating75 company over 1200m at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Sporting the famous Fletcher tartan colours carried with distinction by horses of the calibre of triple Gr.1 Railway Handicap (1200m) winner Mr Tiz, the four-year-old son of Savabeel was having his third run in a summer campaign following an initial preparation that yielded three wins from just eight starts.
Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott went into the race with a high degree of confidence and with former South African rider Billy Jacobson in the saddle their charge duly delivered after enjoying a perfect trip in the trail throughout.
Jacobson bided his time until a gap appeared on the inner of pacemaker In Extasy and burst to the lead at the 250m. Tracked through by Bea A Roca, Kingfisher maintained a solid gallop to land the major spoils with Insatiable making good ground out wide to finish third.
O’Sullivan admitted the stable were keen on the chances of Kingfisher and he duly obliged.
“The gate made all the difference and Billy gave him a great ride,” O’Sullivan said.
“Andrew and I thought he was our best chance for the day, which is easy to say afterwards but Andrew was very confident.
“It is just a matter of going through the grades with him now as he must be getting close to open company.
“He will be better next season so we have no major plans with him, but it’s nice to win a good race on a day like this.”
Jacobsen admitted he couldn’t have scripted a better passage during the race.
“I had a dream run and that’s the way I had envisaged it would be,” he said.
“When I was coming around the last bend I said lets go it’s time to win.
“When I got off the horse last time I said please keep me on as I will win on him and I’m very thankful that they did.
“I’ve had a fairly quiet patch of late but you have to stay positive and I drove here this morning thinking that I could win this race.”
Kingfisher is out of the five-race winner Kaleidoscope who is a daughter of dual Australian Group Two winner Arletty and is closely related to former New Zealand Three-year-old of the Year Xtravagant.
He has now won four of his eleven starts for breeders Dame Sian Elias and Hugh Fletcher who share in his ownership with Natalie Walker and Ned Fletcher.
