Smart stayer Asterix resumed as a strong winner of the Gr.3 JRA Plate (2000m) for trainer Chris Waller at Randwick on Saturday.
The seven-year-old son of Tavistock enjoyed a good preparation last campaign and had been trialling well in the lead-up to Saturday’s victory.
Punters backed the former Kiwi from $31 into $15 and the gelding showed a ready turn of foot when finding clear air under Collett, tracking runner-up You Wahng throughout, with well-fancied stablemate Travolta finishing third.
Kiwi mare She’s A Dealer enjoyed a nice run outside the leader but knocked up late to finish a solid fifth.
“That played out really well for me,” Collett said. “His trials were really good coming into it, he had some freshness in his legs.
“Starting off over 2000m may have been a question mark, but Chris said ‘be kind to him’ and we got a very kind run. Off a moderate tempo, we only had to get out late and sprint and he did that.
“I was pretty happy with that win, I think he’ll be in for a pretty good winter campaign.”
Queensland is now likely on the agenda for the former New Zealand Derby winner who will head to the Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) on May 9.
“It's just taken a while to find his legs in Australia, but he's certainly racing honestly now. That was a good win,” Waller said.
“That’s exactly what we wanted to see and I think there’s a Gosford Cup in about three weeks. We’ll have a look at that first, it’s good prize money here in Sydney and then probably up to Queensland.”
Asterix was bred by Sir Owen Glenn's Go Bloodstock and is by Tavistock out of the Shirocco mare Mourasana.
Curraghmore offered Asterix at the 2020 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, where Bruce Perry Bloodstock bought him for $450,000.
Asterix began his career in the Matamata stable of Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott, for whom he won four of his 14 starts including the 2022 New Zealand Derby and the 2024 edition of the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m).
Asterix has now had a total of 25 starts for six wins, two placings and A$1,101,546 in stakes. – NZ Racing Desk
