A bold front-running ride by Jockey's Premiership leader Samantha Collett landed local runner Azaboy a handsome winner of the Gr.2 $100,000 Valachi Downs Championship Stakes (2200m) at Pukekohe.
Part owned by ex-pat Kiwi and Welsh rugby coach Warren Gatland, the Azamour 3-year-old had shown he could handle a testing trackwhen he beat the well-regarded Mongolian Marshal to break his maiden on a Heavy11 surface on his home track back in February.
Collett was at her pace-making best as she dictated a muddling speed in front before booting clear on Azaboy rounding the home bend. Sent for home the nuggety bay never looked like flinching as he held out all challenges to register a length and a quarter victory from the well favoured Gundown, who pipped Azaboy's stablemate Time Lord for second by a bare nose.
Trainer Richard Collett had Azaboy tuned up for his first attempt at stakes company with a win over a similar distance at his last run.
"The showers of rain on the day ... really did help as it slowed the other ones down. He's a tough horse who has been a real slow maturer."
