Leading Riccarton trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman played a starring role on one of the South Island’s most famous racedays at Kumara on Saturday.
The father-son team came away from the eight-race card with two wins and eight placings, including back-to-back trifectas in the $25,000 Phoenix Minerals (1150m) and the $18,500 McMullan ITM/Greymouth Star (1150m). They also saddled Charbano (NZ) (Vespa) for a third placing in the $40,000 Vernon & Vazey Truck Parts Kumara Gold Nuggets (1810m).
The stable’s standout performance came from highly talented sprinter Third Decree (NZ) (War Decree), who added the Phoenix Materials to her unbeaten record at Kumara.
The daughter of Inglewood Stud stallion War Decree was a maiden winner on the same day last year, and she later went on to add victories at Riccarton on January 28, the Riccarton synthetic track on June 29 and Oamaru on July 26.
Third Decree has stepped up into stakes company as a four-year-old this season, starting with a close sixth in the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton on November 11 – finishing only a length and a half behind the winner Not Guilty (NZ) (Not A Single Doubt). She filled the same position in the Listed Hazlett Stakes (1200m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day, crossing the line three lengths adrift of the winner Kai (NZ) (Ocean Park).
Third Decree stamped her superiority over her Rating 80 opposition on Saturday. With apprentice jockey Abdul Najib’s three-kilogram claim reducing her weight to just 52.5 kilograms, Third Decree settled in third spot before looming ominously behind O’Jessica (Deep Field) and Tengiz (NZ) (Sacred Falls) at the home turn.
A smart turn of foot carried Third Decree straight past that pair, and she kept up a strong gallop to score by a length from her fast-finishing stablemates Makabar (NZ) (Swiss Ace) and Express Coup (NZ) (Shamexpress).
“It’s good to see her win here again, after she won against a small field on this day last year,” Michael Pitman said. “I’m surprised she didn’t pay $1.50 today, considering her performances in the Pegasus and the Hazlett in Dunedin. She dropped to 52.5 kilograms today.
“She was given a great ride by a jockey who’s come over from Malaysia. He’s a really good fella who’s going to be with me for the next two years.”
Third Decree’s 12-start career has now produced five wins, a placing and $76,905 in stakes. She was bred by Anne Bruford, who races her in partnership with husband Jim and 10 other co-owners.
The Pitman stable’s second trifecta came just over half an hour later, when King Cougar (NZ) (Alamosa) scored a narrow victory over Tail Lights (NZ) (Burgundy) and Russian Rosette (NZ) (Russian Revolution).
It was a poignant result for King Cougar, who collected his 10th win at his 100th career start and who recently joined the Pitman stable after having previously been trained by the late Paul Harris.
“New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing approached us about taking over Paul’s team,” Pitman said. “I’m so proud to be associated with a winner for Paul Harris today. People may not know this, but Paul and I knew each other for close to 50 years. It’s a bloody shame what happened.”
