Flashy chestnut colt Stormy repaid the faith of punters who installed him as a $1.50 favourite as he powered to victory in the Gr.2 Pete’s Joinery, Precise Design & Build Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham.
The Tony Pike-trained Telperion colt was the only race winner in the nine-horse field after impressing on debut at Awapuni last month.
Expected to race handy from an inside draw, rider Lisa Allpress followed the script to perfection as she bounced her charge out well before controlling a steady pace throughout.
In a carbon copy of her ride on Invisible Spirit in the first, Allpress kicked Stormy clear early in the home straight before fending off the challenge of Belardo filly Fonsalette over the final 200m to run out a comfortable winner, with debutant Taoiseach finishing third to register an all Cambridge-trained trifecta.
Pike had been confident of a good performance before the race and was relieved the colt had lived up his burgeoning reputation.
“He got a bit lost out in front and got on the wrong leg going over the crossing but he has got the job done,” Pike said.
“He’s probably a better chaser than a leader but he has done it nicely in the end.
“He is a homebred horse and not a Karaka Million contender so we will give him a little break now and then bring him back for one run before we go into the Sires’ races.”
Pike was referring to the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on March 13 and the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni on April 3.
The victory brought up a winning treble early in the day for Allpress after she had taken out the opening event on Invisible Spirit before guiding Casaquinman to his seventh career win in the third race.
Bred and raced by Queensland couple Geoff and Heather Nicholls, Stormy is out of the Swiss Ace mare Silent Night and is from a family that includes dual Group One winner Bentley Biscuit and Group One winner and successful stallion Thorn Park.
He was the first winner for Westbury Stud stallion Telperion and now becomes the first stakes winner for the Group One placed son of Street Cry who commenced duties at Westbury in 2017.
Telperion will be represented by thirteen individuals at the 2021 NZB National Yearling Sale that kicks off at Karaka on January 24. – NZ Racing Desk
