Coulthard takes out TAB Mile

The late money for Coulthard in the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) proved astute on Wednesday, with the Central Districts raider dashing home to claim the Riccarton feature.

The son of Redwood has been in a purple patch of form this spring, finishing runner-up when first-up over 1400m at Trentham in September before going one better at Hastings a month later over a mile. After missing out on a run in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m), he went to the Foxton trials, where he won his 1200m heat, to fit him for his southern trip.

While TAB bookmakers opened Coulthard at $12 for the TAB Mile, he had strong support late, and was backed into a $3.90 second favourite, and he duly delivered for his supporters.

From his wide alley, jockey Bruno Queiroz was content to ease Coulthard back to find cover and follow the hot speed set upfront by local gelding Toa Haka.

With 600m to go, Queiroz elected to hop on the three-wide train and presented his charge four-wide at the top of the straight. Coulthard showed a good turn of foot from the 300m and quickly charged to the lead, and extended his advantage to the line to win by two lengths over fellow Awapuni gelding Omega Boy, with a further 1-1/4 length back to Iron Hawk in third.

Queiroz was jubilant with the win, and he was impressed with Coulthard’s effort.

“It has been a fantastic job from the team working with him. Lisa is a great trainer,” he said. “She told me to just be patient and take cover. The pace was fast today so it was better for me to take cover and he flew home.”

Coulthard had undergone a change of ownership late last season, and Latta managed to put a syndicate together to keep him in the stable, and she is glad her belief in her gelding has paid off.

“It is a big thrill,” she said. “He had a change of ownership this season, with some older clients and some new, young people, which is absolutely fantastic.

“I knew he was an open class horse, and I said to the guys, ‘let’s build a syndicate and buy him, I think he can get through the grades’.

“I set him for this race when he went out for a spell last season.

“He has run a lot of placings and he is just finally starting to do things right and get his head down a bit. He always looks a bit awkward, but he will carry on with it.”

Latta and Queiroz have enjoyed a lucrative New Zealand Cup Week so far, also combining on the first day to win the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) with Platinum Attack, who is a $2.25 favourite to back up and take out Saturday’s Listed Lindauer Steward’s Stakes (1200m).