Justanace has given grand service to Michael and Matthew Pitman’s stable and the Swiss Ace gelding again made the most of a gilt-edged opportunity at Ashburton.
The Westbury Stud-bred came off the ballot as the top-ranked horse in Sunday’s Rating 65 sprint over 1200 metres to post the fifth win of his career.
Justanace bounced out of the gates to settle in behind the leader and apprentice Yogesh Atchamah angled into clear air at the top of the straight.
The hardy six-year-old answered every call in the run home to wear down his main rivals and take his career earnings to nearly $125,000.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Justanace was bought out of Westbury’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale in 2020 by Michael Pitman for $35,000.
His dam is the Flying Spur mare Katespur who is out of a half-sister to the Group 3 winners Kittens, Saint Encosta and Sheer Talent.
The Westbury graduate Illicit Dreams, successful in the Listed Champagne Stakes, is also a member of this family.
Katespur also has three-year-old and yearling sons of Redwood, a juvenile daughter of Telperion and is again due to foal to Redwood.