Local three-year-old Alottago thrust his name into Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) contention with a striking come-from-behind performance in the Rangiora New World Guineas Trial (1400m) at Riccarton on Saturday.
The Lance Robinson-trained gelding has improved with every race in his five-start career. He placed in all of his three appearances as a two-year-old including the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) and Champagne Stakes (1200m), and he now boasts a perfect two-start, two-win record as a three-year-old.
Alottago kicked off his season with a stylish maiden win at Timaru on September 7. That form was boosted before Alottago even set foot on the racetrack for his second-up assignment on Saturday, with the Timaru placegetters Origin Of Love and Quisiera fighting out the finish of the Promenade Hospitality for Cup Week Maiden (1400m) earlier on the Riccarton card. But most of the growth in Alottago’s reputation on Saturday was down to the horse himself.
All nine of the runners in Saturday’s Guineas Trial field were attempting the 1400m distance for the first time in their careers, and that extra distance brought Alottago into his element.
Alottago was ridden by Corey Campbell and was sent out as a $7 third favourite behind War Of Silence and El Vaquero. He had a comfortable run in midfield as the two favourites led the field down the side of the track and around the home turn.
War Of Silence and El Vaquero went to war after entering the straight, pulling a couple of lengths clear of the rest of the field and seemingly having the finish to themselves.
But just as War Of Silence began to pull ahead of El Vaquero, Alottago emerged out of the pack and changed gears. He flew up alongside War Of Silence and collared him right on the finish line to win by a half-head. War Of Silence finished two and a half lengths in front of the third-placed Pontoon.
“Once he got around the corner and balanced up in the straight, he found the line very well,” Campbell said. “It feels to me like he’ll run a strong 1600m and maybe even 2000m in time. He’s such a relaxed, laid-back horse, and then when you ask him to go, he can really sprint.”
Robinson paid $20,000 to buy Alottago from Apex Bloodstock’s draft at the 2024 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka. The son of Gr.1 Blue Diamond (1200m) winner Tagaloa has now had five starts for two wins, three placings and $51,360 in prize-money.
After Saturday’s win, Alottago was tightened from $31 into $16 for the Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 15.
Excluding the dual-island Te Akau Racing operation, the last South Island-trained winner of the 2000 Guineas was Hustler in 2002 for the late Paul Harris.
“There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and the Guineas, but this win today has given us the confidence to carry on along that path for now,” said Robinson, who also shares in the ownership.
“He was impressive. We’ve always really liked the horse and expected the step up to 1400m to suit him. To see him finish the race off as strongly as he did was a big thrill.
“I haven’t looked too far beyond this race today, but the next step might be to take him to Ashburton for the Barneswood Farm Stakes (Gr.3, 1400m) in a couple of weeks. His performance there will tell us whether we keep pressing on towards the Guineas.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.
