The addition of headgear brought out the best in Love Affirmations at Ruakaka at the weekend.
The son of Westbury Stud resident El Roca had no trouble putting paid to his Rating 75 rivals over 1100 metres for trainer Jenna Mahoney and rider Warren Kennedy.
Love Affirmation had finished a solid fifth at New Plymouth last month in his return from a five-month break.
“It was a pleasing run, and one that he needed first-up and we put the blinkers back on as he’s a pretty relaxed horse,” Mahoney said.
“He is a talented horse who has had a few issues along the way, but he’s right now.”
Love Affirmations kept the leaders within his sights and the lightly raced five-year-old rounded off strongly in the run home for the third victory of his career, which also features a further six placings.
“He’s a horse that needs the blinkers on and there was enough speed in the race,” Kennedy said.
“I got one out and one back and got to the front early, probably a bit too early but he was resolute.”
Westbury dominated the finish with the Harvey-bred and sold stakes winner Illicit Dreams finishing runner-up after making the play in front and Swiss Ace’s son Master Brutus, a multiple black-type placegetter, came on from the tail of the field for third.
Bred by Able International and raced by Vicky Tang, Love Affirmations is out of the Elusive City mare Shezhardtocatch who was a gifted performer and won at Group 3 level in the Concorde Handicap and Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes.
The second dam Party Queen was also a quality galloper who won the G3 Lowland Stakes and the Listed Waikato Stud Stakes.