Impressive debut winner Lupo Solitario (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) has been the subject of major buyer interest but will continue his career in New Zealand this season.
The connections of the Danica Guy-trained son of Satono Aladdin have so far knocked back any attempts to purchase the gelding, who will step out in Saturday’s Ultimate Mazda 3YO (1300m) at Tauranga.
“The owners have fielded some huge offers, but at this stage they have resisted selling him,” Guy said.
“They are keen to race him here at three and then if he’s good enough, he will go to Australia as a four-year-old.”
Lupo Solitario, an Italian phrase that translates to lone wolf, was purchased out of breeder Rich Hill Stud’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by Aucklander Leighton Howl for $82,500.
“He doesn’t buy very many, but he does a really good job of selecting the horses and puts small syndicates together to race them, mainly friends of his and business associates,” Guy said.
Lupo Solitario is a son of Pentire mare She’s Aloof (NZ), who is a half-sister to the black-type winners Include (NZ) (Gallant Guru) and Sharp Princess (NZ) (Pins) and the family of the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) winner Brambles (NZ) (Savabeel).
A patient approach with Lupo Solitario paid off at the first time of asking over 1200m last month at Te Rapa where he accounted for stakes performer Glamour Tycoon (Written Tycoon) and the promising Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor).
Guy wasn’t surprised by that debut success after impressive efforts at the trials.
“He doesn’t give much away in his trackwork to be fair and is pretty casual, but what he had done at the trials told us he had something under the hood,” she said.
“In his first trial he was very, very green and hit the line really hard that day and we knew that with some moulding we had something that was going to get there.”
Lupo Solitario was put away after trialling in the autumn over 1000m at Avondale and returned this preparation to win and place in two further 900m heats at Te Rapa before striking at the first time of asking.
“We are going to get a good line on him at Tauranga, there are some nice horses there,” Guy said.
“If everything goes to plan on Saturday then we will look to run him in the Sarten Memorial (Gr.2, 1400m) and that will be a month’s gap again and probably back off him a bit after that.”
A trip south for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) has been ruled out for Lupo Solitario and he will remain closer to home with the $1.5 million Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) in January his main aim.
“He’ll be staying away from Riccarton, I think he is still maturing and still has a lot to learn so he’ll have a quieter spring,” Guy said.
“If he does everything right in his next couple of runs, the Karaka race is definitely his target.”
