Swiss Ace’s hot start to the new season continued over the weekend with a winning treble for the Westbury Stud stalwart.
The Gerry Harvey-bred and sold duo of Makabar and January were successful at Riccarton and Kranji respectively while Jodelin Gal was back to her best at Te Rapa ahead of black type targets.
Makabar produced another sterling performance on Saturday post a Grand National festival double after he had prevailed against the open class sprinters seven days previously.
A drop back in class resulted in a 6kg rise in the handicap, but he coped with aplomb to prove superior over 1200 metres.
“There was no reason why he couldn’t win again, he was dropping back to Rating 75 grade,” co-trainer Michael Pitman said.
Makabar began his career at Tuhikaramea with Team Rogerson, where he won twice, and has since added a further five victories since relocating to Riccarton.
“Horses like him produce every season and you can just rely on him to do the job,” Pitman said.
The eight-year-old drifted well back in the field and produced a relentless finish in the straight to reel in his rivals.
“I was surprised he backed up like that so full credit to the team,” winning rider Tina Comignaghi said.
“There was a lot of speed on so I could make the one run on him and he was very good.”
Makabar was originally purchased out of Westbury Stud’s draft at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka the Rogersons for $55,000.
He is a son of the Encosta De Lago mare Sierra Gold, who is daughter of the stakes winning Danehill mare Langness.
The second dam is the former champion Australian sprinter Isca, who won Group 1 editions of the Newmarket Handicap and Lightning Stakes.
Sierra Gold has also left the multiple winner and black type performer Red Sierra and produced a sister to Makabar last season and is in foal to El Roca.
The Donna Logan-prepared January accounted for his Class Three rivals over 1200 metres to advance his Singapore record to four wins and six top three finishes from 12 appearances.
The expatriate Kiwi trainer has purchased January out of Westbury’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale draft for $75,000 and he is a son of the Belong To Me mare Musically.
She is a half-sister to the G3 Yallambee Classic winner Magically and their dam Magic Music was twice successful at Group 2 level.
January’s brother realised $255,000 at the Ready to Run Sale last year when secured by Hong Kong’s Upper Bloodstock and Magically produced another Swiss Ace colt last season.
Following her open class sprint success on Saturday, Jodelin Gal will make a return visit to Te Rapa in a fortnight’s time for a crack at the G2 Foxbridge Plate.
“There will be some high-class opposition for the race but she is a mare in form with race fitness on her side,” trainer Stephen Marsh said.
“If she performs to expectations then the G1 Tarzino Trophy at Hastings is another potential target.”
Jodelin Gal is raced by breeders Ross and Corrine Kearney of Okoroire, south of Matamata, under their Okaharau Station banner.