Powerful debutant kicks off Wexford treble

[Wandering Eyes]

Promising colt Yamato Satona (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) made an impressive start to his racing career at Arawa Park on Sunday, kicking off a winning treble for his trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott.

Racing in the colours of harness racing legend Barry Purdon, who owns the colt alongside his wife Katrina and Dean Shannon, Yamato Satona had shown promise through the trials and closed second-favourite in the Green Light Insurance Brokers (1400m).

Guided by Joe Doyle, the colt was green early in the running but eventually settled to find cover three-wide in midfield. One of the outsiders in Kenwood House burst to the lead at the 150m, but all eyes were on Yamato Satona, who came from near last on the corner to scorch home and take the opener by a long neck.

“We were really pleased, he settled in well, stayed the 1400m and for an inexperienced young horse to quicken in the manner he did, we couldn’t be happier,” Scott said.

“He’s put in a performance that suggests he has good levels of ability and where we go to from here, we’ll let the dust settle over the next few days.

“Hopefully he has a good summer ahead of him, as his experience levels increase, his confidence will come with it and once he gets out to a mile, he’s certainly going to have a successful season.”

A son of Satono Aladdin, Yamato Satona was a $250,000 purchase from the draft of Rich Hill Stud at the Karaka Yearling Sales last year, and holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) through New Zealand Cup Week.

The stable collected their second win of the meeting courtesy of Sicillian (NZ) (Magna Grecia), lightly-raced four-year-old mare resuming in a new campaign.

Contesting the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua (1400m), the mare travelled well and was too strong late, delivering a first New Zealand victory for French hoop Corentin Berge.

“We’ve had to be patient with her, she trialled well and her work suggested that she was going to put in a really strong performance,” Scott said.

“It was pleasing to see this today with another year on her. She showed glimpses of that promise at three, but now at four, there’s a bit of physical improvement there and she’s another one, through the summer months, can crack on.”

Arguably the performance of the feature meeting came in the final event, with Smart Love (NZ) (Savabeel) blowing away her Rating 75 rivals with serious authority in the Campbell Infrastructure (1400m).

Another with limited starts to her name, Smart Love won dominantly first-up at Te Rapa and backed up that effort up in grade, cruising into contention and passing a game Big Wave to win with plenty in hand.

Scott believes the best is yet to come for the daughter of Savabeel, who was having just her fifth start on Sunday with her record now including three wins and two seconds.

“We were super excited about her performance, she settled in well, came out to the middle of the track and really stretched out,” he said. “It looks like she can run a little further and she’s another that we hope has a strong summer in front of her.

“She’s only getting better with more experience and confidence, she’s a mare that we’ve always hoped would get to a high level of racing and the manner she’s won today certainly suggests that.”

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