A South Island longshot and his youthful accomplice combined at Trentham for
their first Group One successes at the expense of a hot field of sprinters.The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained Enzo's Lad returned odds of 73-1 when he was victorious under apprentice Sam Weatherley in the 1200 metre Group I sprint.
It was the second year in a row a South Island visitor had posted an upset Telegraph win following Signify's 45-1 success 12 months ago.
While punters were floored by Saturday's upset, Weatherley didn't share their shock.
"I was very happy to be on him," he said. "He won the Pegasus in style and I knew if we had some luck he could do it. We got all the splits when we needed to so I'm over the moon.
"Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to be a jockey and to win a Group One is great."
The Riccarton-based Enzo's Lad dropped into a good spot behind the leaders and once into the clear he finished too well.
"He probably got to the front too soon and he was looking around, but he knuckled down when he had to."
Multiple Group One winner Kawi finished powerfully from the back for second with the frontrunner Ferrando holding third from Passing Shot.
"There's just no better feeling than this," Matthew Pitman said. "He's been up to the mark all the way through."
Enzo's Lad showed his sprinting talent in the spring when he won the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) before conditions brought about his last-start defeat at Wingatui on Boxing Day.
"He struck a wet track and he can't go on them," Pitman said. "He's got a great bunch of owners, all from Wellington, and it was their choice as much as ours to bring him up. This means the world to me."
Enzo's Lad has the overall record of five wins and seven placings from 21
starts and is the fourth Group I winner for Vinery Stud's veteran sire Testa
Rossa.He is the best of three winners from winning Catbird mare Sheerama, a half-sister to Group II winner Patpong from stakes-winner Rouquin.
Sheerama had only one more foal after Enzo's Lad was dropped from the Australian Studbook last year.
Turning 22 this year, Testa Rossa is in the twilight years, but still covered 25 mares at Vinery Stud last spring at a fee of $16,500.
