Promising jockey Liam Kauri jumped at the chance to ride for one of New Zealand’s biggest stables at Trentham on Saturday, guiding Tristar to victory in the Leica Lucy 3YO (1200m).
The $35,000 race was Kauri’s 20th win in a career that has been plagued by long stints on the sidelines with injuries. The 25-year-old took special satisfaction from Saturday’s success aboard the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Tristar.
“It’s the biggest stable I’ve ever ridden for, so this was a huge opportunity for me,” Kauri said.
Saturday’s Trentham assignment was a step down in class for Tristar, who had shown bright promise throughout her three-year-old season. She was a two-length winner on debut at Taupo in September, where beaten runners included her subsequent stakes-winning stablemate Sethito.
Another victory followed at Tauranga, and then Tristar finished a luckless 10th in the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) and a close sixth in the $100,000 Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy (1500m).
Tristar headed to Trentham on the back of a strong trial win at Pukekohe on April 29, and she made a notable move into $2.20 favouritism in the lead-up to Saturday’s race.
Kauri played his part to perfection. After settling at the back of the small field as Anushka Shesastar set a moderate pace up to the home turn, Kauri angled his mount into the clear and began to move her through her gears.
The race changed quickly in the straight as Anushka Shesastar faded out of contention, with Detrimental, Albarossa and Tristar striding to the front together.
That trio drew more than four lengths clear of the rest of the field to fight out the finish, and it was Tristar who got the upper hand and scored by a neck. Detrimental finished second, a head in front of Albarossa.
“The two scratchings this morning made it an easier race to judge,” Kauri said. “I noticed that they came from the back in the first race, so I was happy to ride her the same way.
“She got to the front easily in the straight. She didn’t quite put them away like I thought she was going to, but she fought well and was strong through the line. She’s a promising horse.”
Tristar was bred by the Little Avondale Trust and is by Exceedance out of the Pierro mare World Away. That makes her a half-sister to her stablemate Karman Line, who won the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) on this day last year.
Little Avondale offered Tristar in Book 1 of Karaka 2023, where she was bought by Wexford Stables for $220,000. Her seven-start career has now produced three wins and $59,260 in stakes, with the promise of much more to come.
Tristar’s big ownership group was represented at Trentham on Saturday by Hamish Croad, who noted that many of the owners also race Karman Line.
“She’s obviously a half-sister to Karman Line and we’ve always thought pretty highly of her,” Croad said. “A lot of the owners are in both horses, so we’re hoping for a good day with Karman Line running in the Rotorua Stakes later in the afternoon.
“Tristar is a bit more of a robust type than Karman Line, so we were hoping that she might go a bit earlier.
“She was a bit unlucky not to make the field for the NZB Kiwi (1500m), but she may not be a real fan of Ellerslie anyway.
“She’s shown today that she handles a bit of cut out of the ground, and we think she has a bright future. Hopefully she’ll come through this well, and then Lance and Andrew will have a good look at her and see where to go next.”
By Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
