Raceday debutant Masque lived up to his trainer's expectations when he
delivered a winning return over 800 metres in the first race at Pukekohe today.
The trial winning Savabeel two-year-old showed plenty of ticker for rider Leith
Innes as he shouldered his way through a narrow gap against the rail to claim
the lead halfway down the long Pukekohe home straight. Despite knocking off a
little at the post the colt had enough in hand to hold out the finish of race
favourite Queen Of The Air, who chased him doggedly in the closing stages.
Co-trainer Graeme Rogerson, who prepares Masque with wife Debbie, was feeling
bullish about his future prospects after success in the northern regions first
juvenile event for the season.
"He had trialled enormously and we think he is the next Savabeel," he stated.
"We were going to go to Sydney with him but he's been working on wet tracks and
it's pretty dry over there."
Rogerson had been confident of a win on debut after rider Leith Innes had been
fulsome in his praise when combining with the colt for his first run at the Te
Teko trials back in August.
"Leith rode him at the trials and said this is a Group horse," he advised.
"We will probably go to the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham and then on to the
Karaka Million after that.
"He's the one we put a nomination in for the Golden Slipper and he's showed me as
much as Savabeel at this stage."
Bred by Gary Chittick, Masque is the full brother of successful racemare
Costume who numbered the Gr. 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes and Gr. 1 Livamol Classic
amongst her six career victories.
He was a $200,000 purchase for Rogerson from the Waikato Stud draft during the
premier session of the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale series. – NZ
Racing Desk