Trainers Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley are hoping a big spring is in-store for their Group Three winner Sacred Satono.
The four-year-old entire had his first public hit-out of the season at the Cambridge synthetic trials on Thursday, and he put in an eye-catching performance when storming home late to win his 950m heat.
The son of Satono Aladdin had a pleasing three-year-old term, winning three and placing in his six New Zealand starts, including winning the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), and was runner-up in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m) and Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m).
He subsequently had a three-race autumn campaign in Sydney before returning to his homeland for a spell.
Cooksley has been pleased with the way Sacred Satono has returned and took plenty of confidence from his trial win ahead of what could be a lucrative spring campaign.
“He had a nice trial, that is all he was out to do, and he got to the line quite nicely,” Cooksley said.
“He had two-and-a-half months out and he has done well. Being a stallion, he hasn’t grown a lot, but he has strengthened up quite a bit.
“He was always six months behind (last season) because he was a little bit weak. This time he has come back quite good, so this year should be a nice season for him.”
His trainers are eyeing the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) as Sacred Satono’s first-up target, and while he is nominated for the first two legs of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival, they are still weighing up their options, both in New Zealand and abroad.
“I have put him in there (Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival), but we will see how he comes through today. He could also go over to Australia, but we will just work things out,” Cooksley said.
Evergreen stablemate Gino Severini was also in the same heat and pleased Cooksley with his unplaced run.
“He went a nice trial and was a couple of lengths behind the other horse,” he said.
“He won’t be going in the same grade of races he went for last year, he will just have a couple of runs and we will see how he comes back.
“He may kick-off at Waikato on the 17th next month, there is an Open 1400m there.”
The 10-year-old gelding has been a great stalwart for the stable, highlighted by victories in the Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m) and Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m), and placings in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m) on two occasions, and Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m). – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
