Easter Handicap in crosshairs for Lupo Solitario

Danica Guy is eyeing a return to stakes level with her Group Three winner Lupo Solitario (NZ) (Satono Aladdin).

The five-year-old gelding performed well for the Matamata horsewoman as a three-year-old, winning three races, including the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), before he was sold to Hong Kong interests.

The now five-year-old son of Satono Aladdin failed to fire in his seven starts for trainer Frankie Lor, with a race fall at Sha Tin last year knocking his confidence and the decision was made to send him back to his homeland after three subsequent unplaced runs.

He returned to Guy, who took over the ownership of the gelding, and she has taken a patient approach with his return, which paid off at Pukekohe earlier this month where he won over a mile.

Guy was rapt with his performance and she is now hoping to step him up to stakes level once again in next month’s Gr.3 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m) at Ellerslie.

“He has pulled up super (from his win), I am rapt with him,” Guy said. “I am so thrilled to get him back and get a win like that.

“It’s a good kick-off for him and hopefully we can get him into the Easter Handicap at a low weight, it just depends on his rating as to whether he makes it into the field. I think that will be a nice next target for him.”

Meanwhile, stablemate Cleat (NZ) (Rios) pleased with his first-up win in the Manco 1150 at Te Aroha on Saturday, and Guy is looking forward to campaigning the son of Rios through the latter part of autumn and into winter.

“I knew he was fit enough to run out a good race on a track like that (Heavy10), and he has been really well and happy,” she said.

“He (Joe Nishizuka) rode her really well, he measured it up well and the horse loves apprentice riders, he likes doing his own thing a little bit.

“We will keep looking for suitable options for him. We are going to get more weight now so that is going to dictate where we go next, but we will carry on through the winter.”