Talented stayer Salsamor (NZ) (Tavistock) maintained his winning form when landing the Remember Roy Higgins Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday for trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.
Ridden by in-form claimer Thomas Stockdale, the son of Tavistock box-seated behind the speed for much of the contest before wearing down his rivals to score by three-quarters of a length from Ghodeleine.
The five-year-old has now won his past four starts and has earnt connections in excess of A$400,000.
Stockdale’s 3kg claim was a big assist in bringing the top-weighted galloper down to 59.5kgs from his allotted 62.5kgs and the Kiwi stayer relished the rain-softened conditions.
“Thomas knows this horse so well and he rode him a treat,” Young said.
“He was the only horse really travelling on the corner and being out of an Al Akbar mare, they love it wet.
“The weight was always going to be an issue today on this sort of track. There aren’t a lot of horses making up ground. But since his win at Flemington in the middle of February, he has just grown in confidence and now he has put four wins together in a row, it is great for the owners.”
Group Two placed as a three-year-old in both the Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m) and the Moonee Valley Vase, Salsamor missed his four-year-old season through injury.
“As a three-year-old he competed in some good races but he tweaked a suspensory so we gave him a bit of time off and brought him back and I think this time in he has finally got up to his trip of 2000m,” Young said.
“He has just got that confidence and he is lovely and sound and just an autumn horse that grows another leg with a little bit of give in the tracks.”
A $150,000 Karaka yearling, Salsamor is a graduate of Hallmark Stud’s draft and is out of the two-win Al Akbar mare Hula Bar.
Earlier in the day stablemate Chuck A Luck, who like Salsamor sports the colours of Seymour Bloodstock’s Darren Thomas, showed he was heading in the right direction when second in the Neds Handicap (1600m) behind The Lifeline.
The winner got away with cheap sectionals in front while Chuck A Luck defied the pattern of the day to come from near last.
The son of Niagara is on a path towards the Gr. 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) on May 9. Chuck A Luck was a Group performer in New Zealand for former trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman.
