Progressive galloper Orlov (NZ) (Sweynesse) made it consecutive victories and three wins in his last five starts when he dashed home near the fence to take out the feature flat race at New Plymouth on Saturday, the Landmark Homes (1800m).
The six-year-old son of Sweynesse is raced by a group including his trainer David Haworth, who co-bred him and had produced a career best performance at his last start when taking out a rating 90 2040m contest at Wanganui, in the process downing handy performers Prince Alby and Aljay who featured prominently in the Listed Rotorua Cup (2200m) further north on Saturday when finishing sixth and second respectively in the black type event.
Settled towards the rear of the eight-horse field by rider Kate Hercock, Orlov looked to be battling slightly approaching the home bend as Poser, White Noise and pacemaker Our Jumala had settled down to a three-way struggle.
Our Jumala shook off the other pair at the 150m and looked set for victory but hadn’t factored in the finishing burst of Orlow who had a full head of steam at that point as he charged along closest to the fence to dash through and win by a half-a-length at the line.
Haworth was delighted with the win as he explained the horse was coming into his own following a wind operation earlier in his career.
“He is racing really well of late and it was another good performance yesterday (Saturday),” Haworth said.
“We had considered going to Rotorua for the Cup after his last victory, but I felt this was a better option rather than travelling all the way up there and maybe striking an unsuitable track.
“He has always had ability but he had to have a wind operation and I think in this campaign he is finally learning how to manage it.
“He was coming up nicely and then he got a virus that took him a while to get over but now he is right, and you can see that in his form of late.
“That could be his last run in this campaign although we might hold on and try to get him to Trentham if the tracks say alright but that could be a longshot at this time of the year.
“It was great to win as the race sponsors (Landmark Homes) sponsored one about eight years ago that his mother (Diamond Cut) won so it is quite the coincidence.”
Haworth was also looking forward to Diamond Cut foaling down later this year as she is carrying a foal by Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner Noverre who will stand for his third season at Waikato Stud for a fee of $10,000+GST in 2024.
Orlov is the first foal of Diamond Cut, a daughter of Guillotine, who won four races in a truncated 13-start career that was curtailed by injury.
He comes from an extended family that includes multiple Australian Group One winner Stony Bay while he also traces back to outstanding gallopers Romanee Conti, Grand Echezeaux and champion New Zealand two and three-year-old Darci Brahma who went on to a stellar career at stud following his outstanding racetrack performances.
Orlov has now won eight of his 32 starts and over $153,000 in prizemoney.
