Londaro's nose just shows out on the inside of Johnny Lincoln at the finish of the Rating 65 race (1600m) at Saturday's Hawke's Bay meeting. It was the big four-year-old's second success at Hastings.
Hastings-trained Londaro had to be good to win the opening event over 1600m at last Saturday's Hawke's Bay meeting.
After being caught three-wide in the early stages, in a muddling run race, jockey Samantha Collett let the big 4-year-old roll forward in the middle stages to sit outside the leader Pincanto until the home turn.
The big-striding Londaro bounded to the front early in the home straight but, when Collett went to pull the whip 200m from the finish, it fell out of her hand and she then had to rely on just riding the horse hands and heels over the final stages.
Londaro quickly shook off Pincanto but then had to withstand a late charge from the Robert Hannam-ridden Johnny Lincoln and the two horses hit the line locked together.
Neither jockey knew who had got in the deciding stride but the photo-finish print had Londaro's nose fractionally in front.
Londaro recorded his second win, after his maiden victory was also achieved on his home track in October last year.
He is prepared by the partnership of Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen and owned by Waikato couple Bruce and Maureen Harvey, who paid $200,000 for the horse at the 2015 Karaka yearling sales.
"He had to do a fair bit of work today after being trapped wide going forward," said Lowry.
"He stuck on really well. He is a long-striding horse so I'm not too sure if the slow tracks will suit him in the future.
"She [Collett] did a good job putting him in the race and luckily he held on."
The victory marked a milestone for Samantha Collett as she reached the 100-win mark for the season, the first time in her career.
"I've got a lot of people to thank but it's not the end of the season yet," said Collett as she acknowledged her achievement after the race.
"It's been a labour of love, not just in this season, but to get to the milestone is really great."
Collett admitted her original plan had not been to adopt the pacemaking role on her charge.
"When I did the form before the race I had thought about settling in mid-field, one off the fence.
"There wasn't much speed on and when the pace steadied I thought I just had to roll forward.
"He's a big, strong horse and his run last start was better than it looked. Full credit to him as he fought like a tiger."
Lowry said he and Cullen now have two options for Londaro's next start.
"He will either run in a Rating 85 1600 at Hastings on April 28 or in a Rating 75 race over 1600 at Te Rapa a week later," Lowry said.
Londaro is out of the Flying Spur mare Spurcent, who was the winner of three races in Australia including the Listed Gimcrack Stakes in Sydney. She is a half-sister to Glorious Days, who won eight races in Hong Kong including the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile.
Excellent run by Campbell team
There would be no more deserving winner of a Hawke's Bay thoroughbred owners' prize than Hastings trainer Patrick Campbell.
The highly successful trainer prepares only a small team of horses and shares in the ownership of most of them.
He owns Scandalo, who won a $30,000 Rating 85 race over 1400m at Hastings last Saturday and also shares in the ownership of Hunta Pence and Lady Guinness, who have also performed with plenty of merit in recent weeks.
Scandalo brought up his sixth win from only 21 starts when taking out the $30,000 Rating 85 race over 1400m at last Saturday's Hawke's Bay meeting. Lady Guinness won the $30,000 Poverty Bay Cup (1600m) at Gisborne on February 18 while Hunta Pence took out a Rating 75 race over 2100m at Hastings on March 1 and recorded a game third in last Saturday's Listed $75,000 Royston Hospital Hawke's Bay Cup (2200m).
Campbell bought Scandalo in a private sale, from the South Island, back in December 2016 after the horse had recorded two thirds and three fourths from seven starts.
Campbell produced the horse to win first up from his stable in a 1450m maiden race at Wairoa in February 2017 and he has since recorded four more wins as well as three seconds and three thirds.
Scandalo was impressive when scoring by three-quarters of a length over 1400m at Hastings last Saturday. Campbell engaged Korean-born apprentice jockey Alex Shin for the horse to make use of his 4kg claim and the young rider rode the horse to perfection.
Shin settled Scandalo third behind the pacemaking duo of Lucyinrio and Honneur Noir until the home turn before angling him out to make a challenge early in the home straight. They shot to the lead 300m from the finish and never looked like being headed after that, winning by three-quarters of a length from the fast finishing Disturbance, with race favourite Honneur Noir a nose back in third place.
Scandalo's win took his rating to 86 points, meaning Campbell will now have to concentrate on open sprint races with the 5-year-old but, by the way the horse won last Saturday, there are more victories in store in the future.
Bassett's win heralds trip south
Hastings apprentice jockey Jordan Bassett recorded a timely win aboard Estefania in the final event at last Friday's Rotorua meeting at Arawa Park.
The 27-year-old brought up the third win of her career on the eve of embarking on a three-month stint in the South Island, where she will be on loan to the successful Riccarton father and son training partnership of Michael and Matthew Pitman.
Bassett was originally attached to the Hastings stable of Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen before a brief stint with Whanganui trainer Kevin Myers. She is now indentured to her partner, Richard McKenzie, who is the owner-trainer of Estefania.
Bassett out-rode the vastly more experienced Danielle Johnson in the maiden 1200m race at Rotorua. She bounced Estefania out quickly from the barrier and held her line when Johnson tried to cross her aboard Mediterranean Star and take the lead going into the first bend.
Bassett then maintained control in front before kicking clear at the top of the home straight. Johnson got Mediterranean Star into top gear to come out after Estefania in the final stages but Bassett kept her mount balanced up and, with just a hands and heels ride, managed to stave off the challenge to win by a nose.
Estefania was bred by Richard McKenzie, who is a Hastings veterinary surgeon. She is by Darci Brahma out of the Success Express mare Zino Belle, who won five races including the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton and was also stakes placed on two other occasions.
Options for group winner
The connections of Hiflyer are mulling over their options.
"He's had a month's work, three weeks on the water walker and a week with us," trainer Peter Lock said.
"I'm over the moon with him, he looks great.
"He's twice as big and strong now and ticking over well. We'll get him fit and ready and then decide whether we go to Brisbane or Sydney or stay home.
"He'll be telling us what we do. He could even go back to the spelling paddock and then get him ready for the Triple Crown at Hastings."
The weight-for-age Group 1 triple crown at the Hawke's Bay spring carnival consists of the Tarzino Trophy (1400m), Windsor Park Plate (1600m) and the Livamol Classic (2040m).
Hiflyer is a dual Group 3 winner and hasn't raced since he ran third in the Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham in January.
Singapore trip confirmed
Matamata trainer Gary Hennessy has his sights set on a Singapore Group 1 feature after receiving confirmation that Ocean Emperor has gained a spot in the Kranji Mile (1600m) on May 26.
Hennessy has a proven overseas track record having prepared Ocean Park for Group 1 wins in the Cox Plate (2040m), Caulfield Stakes (2000m) and the Underwood Stakes (1800m).
A son of Zabeel and the Group 1 performer Tootsie, Ocean Emperor has won seven races including a defeat of subsequent Group 1 winner Miss Wilson and the seven-time elite race winner Kawi in the Group 2 Tauranga Stakes (1600m).
In his most recent performance, the 6-year-old downed multiple stakes placegetter Tiptronic and the Group 1 performer Travimyfriend in the Group 2 Japan/New Zealand International Trophy (1600m).