El Viento has made a fast start to his career and the progressive son of El Roca further added to his tally at Matamata on Saturday.
The three-year-old broke his maiden on the track in January off the back of a debut sixth and then made late ground on a premier day to finish fourth over 1300 metres.
“He was really good at Te Rapa and we thought the step up to 1400 metres would suit him and he probably really needs a mile now,” said Sam Bergerson, who trains the Gerry Harvey-bred gelding with Mark Walker.
“His work had been really good and he can rattle off some good sectionals.”
Rider Opie Bosson allowed El Viento to drift back to second last in the small field before he was on the move 500 metres from home.
He came wide on the turn and flattened out impressively in the run home to account for his opposition.
El Viento was offered by Westbury Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale where he caught the eye of Te Akau boss David Ellis, who signed the ticket at $95,000.
He is a son of the well-bred Hussonet mare Mandeville, whose nine foals to race have all been successful and her dam Midnight Sun won the Listed Winter Cup at Rosehill.
The pedigree page features the heavyweight presence of the unbeaten multiple Group 1 winner Black Caviar, whose half-brother All Too Hard was a five-time top-flight winner before a successful career at stud.
Mandeville has an unraced two-year-old colt by Swiss Ace and is back in foal to the Westbury Stud resident.