Photo: Monica Toretto
Underrated miler Cluedo Lane (Ghibellines) provided trainer Joseph Waldron with his biggest victory since returning from a stint in Australia last year as he ran a quality field ragged over the concluding stages of the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m) at Wingatui.
Waldron, who left New Zealand shores just over six years ago, made the decision to return to his home region of Otago in in the middle of 2025 and commenced training from Wingatui at the start of the season.
Things have gone well for the talented horseman, who had registered four victories from his boutique team to date, although he went into Saturday’s feature with mixed feelings after having to scratch the well-fancied Brave Spirit which allowed a strong back-up chance in Cluedo Lane to take his place in the final field.
Rider Akshay Balloo bounced the six-year-old son of Ghibellines away nicely to be sitting in second behind pacemaker Tumuch throughout before taking over at the head of affairs as the 600m.
Balloo went for gold on his mount rounding the home bend and opened up a five-length margin on his rivals, and despite getting tired in the final 100m, he held out the late charge of runner-up Sir Albert and third placed Matscot by a length at the winning post.
Waldron was thankful for gaining such a big result for the stable, while he also found time to praise the effort of Balloo.
“It was meant to be I suppose, although it was a shame about Brave Spirit, but he will be back again,” Waldron said.
“It was a great opportunity for this horse and he took it. He has always shown he had good ability and before we got him he was only just nabbed by Spot On Time in the TAB Mile (1400m) trial, which is well and truly good enough form for here.
“A big thanks to Michael Stokes (owner) who sent him our way as for a little stable like ours that is just getting going, having a horse like him is a huge thrill.
“Akshay is incredibly underrated, is great on horses that go forward and that suits ours well.
“It doesn’t get much better than this as it is a huge thrill.”
Balloo was thankful for the opportunity to ride the horse and made the most of that good fortune.
“He is a tough horse,” he said. “I was a little bit worried when I couldn’t get to the front but I saw my chance and pulled him out at the right time, then I knew he was going to be hard to catch.
“This is how he likes running and although I had to make some adjustments, it paid off.”
Raced by former Canterbury-based trainer Michael Stokes, who also co-bred him, Cluedo Lane has now won four of his 23 starts and more than $203,000 in prizemoney.
