Prince Alby improved from a game effort in last weekend’s Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton to charge home out wide and win the major flat event at the venue on Saturday, the Heatstore Open Handicap (1800m).
Prepared at Riverton by Kelvin Tyler, the progressive five-year-old looked a forlorn hope approaching the 600m when back near last as pacemakers Burnvue and Bluey’s Chance set up a pedestrian pace in the contest.
Set alight by rider Krishna Mudhoo rounding the home bend, the son of Sacred Falls powered home out wide to win by just on half-a-length from Proserve and Secret Amour in a blanket finish to the contest.
Tyler had been pleased with the late charge for eighth in the Winter Cup by his charge and felt the additional 200m on Saturday would play in his favour.
“I’ve said for a long time that he is probably the best horse I’ve ever had,” Tyler said.
“Ability wise he is just so adaptable, but when I saw how the race was panning out I thought it would be a walk and sprint home and he had no chance.
“He is really high class but I thought he’d need a good strong pace to win, so to do that is amazing.”
Tyler was unsure of the next steps for the horse, but is keen to get him up over further as the campaign progresses.
“He will get two miles on his ear, but I’m just not too sure what to do,” he said.
“I don’t know if the New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) is the go for him as the ground is normally too firm, so he might just go to the Metropolitan Trophy (Listed, 2600m) on the first day and then later to the Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) and then the Auckland Cup (Gr.2, 3200m).”
The Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) is run at Riccarton on 11 November, with the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) a week later on 18 November.
Tyler purchased Prince Alby for just $3,000 out of the Mapperley Stud draft during the Book 3 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka in 2020 and he has gone on to win over $112,000 in prizemoney for the Tyler family with five wins from just 19 starts.
