Waldorf - Race Images
After placings in two of his next four starts, and after requiring vet treatment on abrasions suffered when unplaced in the Karaka Million, Waldorf shone brightly in the final stakes race of New Zealand's 2016-17 season.
Ridden by Johnathan Parkes, the colt sat in second place before moving forward to challenge Nuclear Fusion at the top of the straight. The pair set down to fight out the finish, with Waldorf gradually asserting his superiority to win by a length and a half.
Waldorf has now had seven starts for two wins and three placings, and he has already returned almost twice his purchase price for owners T G Heptinstall, J A Barnao, T M Pivac, D R Platt, A Campbell, C V Barnao, C D Allison, N Cruickshank and the Withonel Syndicate.
"He's a very good horse," Campbell said. "I don't think he was handling the ground that well. I was a bit worried at the turn when the other one had a kick, but he's very tough and he's got a lot of ability.
"I think he'll get a mile next season, so we'll nominate him for some good races and it will be interesting to see how he goes. It's early days, but we'll put in a nomination for the Caulfield Guineas."
Waldorf was the first winner for his young Fastnet Rock sire Highly Recommended when saluting last spring and is now his first stakes-winner.
He is a half-brother to Group III winner Timmy Tyler from unraced Pins mare Skite.
A Group II winner in Australia, Turangga Farm bred Highly Recommended stands at Berkely Stud in New Zealand at a fee of $5,000 and has had three winners from 10 runners with Group I placed Joyfilly also making her mark.
He is the eighth son of Fastnet Rock to sire a stakes-winner joining the likes of Hinchinbrook, Foxwedge, Smart Missile, Your Song, Stryker, Rothesay and Wanted.
