Four-year-old star all the rage in Tarzino

[Wandering Eyes]

Newly turned four-year-olds have a proud record of making early spring statements in the Gr.1 Westbury Stud Tarzino Trophy (1400m) in recent years, and one of New Zealand’s most exciting racehorses is poised to follow suit at Hastings on Saturday.

Crocetti (NZ) (Zacinto) heads into the season-opening Group One feature with eight wins and a second to his name from just nine career starts, and the TAB rates him a $2.10 favourite to add the Tarzino to his outstanding record.

He will attempt to become the 11^th four-year-old to win the Tarzino in the last 20 years, following on from Starcraft (2004), Xcellent (2005), Seachange (2006), Keep The Peace (2010), Ocean Park (2012), Survived (2013), Melody Belle (2018), Callsign Mav (2020), Dark Destroyer (2022) and Skew Wiff (2023).

Crocetti soared to prominence around this time last year, winning the first two starts of his three-year-old season by a combined margin of nine lengths, including the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka.

The Zacinto gelding went on to add the Gr.2 Sarten Memorial (1400m), the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and the Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m), then suffered the only defeat of his career to date when he ran a gallant second in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa in February.

Crocetti returned to Ruakaka for a resuming run over 1100m on August 3, overcoming deteriorating Heavy8 ground and his 60kg topweight to score a hard-fought win over quality sprinter Master Fay.

He capped his Tarzino preparation with a stylish trial at Taupo on August 21, and co-trainer Danny Walker believes the build-up has gone perfectly to plan.

“Under the circumstances, I thought he did a great job at Ruakaka first-up,” he said. “It probably wasn’t the track that we were expecting when we sent him up there, although at least it was loose instead of really sticky and testing. He got through it well and it was good to come away with the win.

“At that stage we weren’t entirely sure what the Hastings weather and track would be like for the Tarzino, so he wasn’t a certain runner. But we’re pleased to see that the weather’s come right in Hawke’s Bay. It should be nice ground for him on Saturday and we’re looking forward to getting him down there for the race.

“He’s really been spot on all the way through this preparation so far. He’s been working well. We gave him a nice trial at Taupo the other day, which kept him up to the mark.”

Crocetti will be ridden by Warren Kennedy, whose seven rides on the chestnut have produced six wins and a second.

The Tarzino could be the final appearance in New Zealand this spring for Crocetti, who will potentially be pointed towards the A$10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on November 2.

“The plan is probably to get him across to Australia after this, but we’ll focus on Saturday for now and see how he comes through it before committing to anything,” Walker said.

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