Rosso stakes long-term Cup claims

[Wandering Eyes]

Former Irish galloper Rosso (Camelot) showed he will be a force to be reckoned with in some of the major staying races in New Zealand left to come this season when he took out the Rating 82 Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Premier (2600m) at Riccarton with ridiculous ease on Saturday.

Trained by Michael and Matthew Pitman, the five-year-old son of Camelot started his career in his native Ireland where he was successful in one of his five starts before being exported to the Australian stable of Anthony and Sam Freedman.

He was subsequently offered on the Inglis Digital sale platform in early August, having gathered one placing from four starts, where he was purchased by Michael’s brother John for A$47,500 and made his way to New Zealand.

Rosso made an immediate impression with an effortless win over 2200m at Ashburton in October, before finishing resolutely for fourth over 2000m on the first day of the Riccarton carnival last weekend for rider Sam Weatherley.

Visiting expat Kiwi jockey Daniel Stackhouse took the mount on Saturday and produced a copybook effort on the $1.90 favourite, which saw him sit one out in midfield before easing his way around the field at the 500m to hit the front shortly afterwards.

Stackhouse hardly loosened his grip on the reins as Rosso bounded clear of his rivals and jogged to the winning post nearly six lengths to the good of Moussaieff (NZ) (Redwood) and Steal My Thunder (NZ) (Derryn).

Stackhouse, who had piloted Mystic Park (NZ) (Ocean Park) to success in the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) on Wednesday for the stable, was impressed by the effort and predicted there was more in store for the horse.

“I was travelling really good the whole way and all I had to do was get him out at the right time and let him come into it,” Stackhouse said.

“We actually got out too early and he stargazed all the way up the straight, but he was just too good for them.

“They pulled this horse out of Australia and have given him a new lease of life and with that bit more time, he is really coming to it.”

Matthew Pitman was all smiles as he succinctly described the victory

“He has just jogged in,” he said. “We were confident the first day, but from a wide barrier he settled back on a muddly-run speed and was doing good work at the finish.

“We knew getting up to 2600m was the key and that bit of rain we had overnight was no trouble for him as he has a lot of class.

“We will have to put our thinking caps on now as there are races like the Remutaka Classic (2100m) and Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) at Trentham and an Auckland Cup (Gr.2, 3200m) further down the line. We will have to see how he pulls up, but a trip north is definitely on the cards.”

Rosso is raced by John Pitman under the South Island Racing Enthusiasts banner and sports his distinctive silks that feature the initials SIRE on both the front and back of the brightly coloured jacket.

Rosso has now won two of his three New Zealand starts and three races overall.

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