Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Progressive stayer Son of Sun (Tavistock) continued his golden run at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day when taking out the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) in the hands of in-form hoop Matt Cartwright.
The five-year-old son of Tavistock had won four of his six prior starts at the Auckland venue, including the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Qualifier (2100m) last month.
His record on the track didn’t evade punters attention, who backed him into $5.50 favouritism for Wednesday’s staying feature.
Travelling midfield for much of the journey, Son of Sun spotted leader Arby five lengths at the top of the straight, but under the urgings of Cartwright, he was able to reel in his rival to score by a neck.
“He won well, he is a good stayer and hopefully he carries on with it,” said Grant Cooksley, who trains Son of Sun in partnership with Bruce Wallace.
Son of Sun has now won six of his 18 career starts and nearly $340,000 in prizemoney, but Cooksley believes the best is still ahead for the gelding.
“I think he is going to be a little bit better in six months,” he said. “I know he is a five-year-old, but he is a slow-maturing horse, and he has come along very well.”
A return to Ellerslie for the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) on Champions Day in March is an obvious target for Son of Sun, but Cooksley said he hasn’t made any set plans.
“He is nominated (for the Auckland Cup), but we will see what happens,” he said.
Bred by Melway Farm, Son of Sun was purchased by Baiquing Sun out of Cambridge Stud’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $65,000 and is raced by Sun under his New Zealand Gingkosun Investment Ltd banner.
The Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) has proven to be a successful race for Cooksley and Grant, who won last year’s running at Pukekohe with Trust In You, who went on to run in last year’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
The six-year-old gelding finished sixth in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on Wednesday and is also a major player for the Auckland Cup, sharing top billing for the staying feature on the TAB Futures Market at $10 alongside his stablemate and Australian raider Interpretation.
