Patiently ridden by Joe Doyle, Wolfgang settled in fourth-last as fellow Matamata raider Arby led the field around a circuit of the Trentham track at barely more than a canter.
Arby began to up the ante turning out of the back straight, with Wolfgang still languishing more than a dozen lengths behind him and facing an increasingly daunting task.
But Doyle brought Wolfgang to the outside at the home turn and turned him loose down the roomy Trentham straight. Wolfgang quickly came with giant strides out wide on the track, powering to the lead with 200m remaining and pulling away to win by a length and a half. Crouch and Nest Egg collected the minor placings just ahead of the fourth-placed Trav, who himself produced an eye-catching finish from last.
Wolfgang was bred by Mapperley Stud, who offered him in Book 1 of Karaka 2020 and failed to meet his $50,000 reserve. Mapperley principal Simms Davison retained him to race alongside Kim and Peter McKay, who won the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) with Wolfgang’s sire Puccini.
From 42 starts, Wolfgang has now had seven wins and 10 placings, earning $550,917 in stakes.
Peter McKay trains Wolfgang in partnership with his son, former jockey Shaun.
“This is unreal, I had a little tear there,” Shaun McKay said. “I was never able to ride a 3200m-winner in my career, but it’s special to be lucky enough to train one today with Dad.”
“Mum and Dad had the stallion too and had some great success with him, so that just makes it even better.
“He just showed today that he’s a really tough horse. We tried to get a group win with him as a 2-year-old and kept going close with placings. We had to be patient, and now he just keeps getting better and better as a 6-year-old. I think he’ll be even better in six months’ time.
“Hopefully we can get him back to Aussie next season and pick up a good win there. You never know how a horse is going to go over the 3200m until you try, but the way he really flew home over that distance today gives us a bit of confidence. It would be amazing to get him to the Melbourne Cup [Group 1, 3200m].”
Wolfgang became the second Wellington Cup winner for Doyle, who won the race with Leaderboard in 2023.
“It’s fantastic,” Doyle said. “I’m lucky enough to have won the race twice now, and Mum and Dad are here today, all the way from Ireland. So it’s a brilliant thrill to win a race like this in front of them.”
“The McKays are absolute masterminds. His run at Ellerslie last time, you’d think it was average, but they really believed he was in great form coming into today. When I pushed the button in the straight, he just ran past them.
“It’s fantastic for the McKays. They’re only a small stable, but they do fantastic work and deserve results like this.”
– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
