Sai Fah bookends two-year-old season with stakes victory

Sai Fah scores a decisive victory at Otaki. Photo/ Race Images, Peter Rubery

Successful in the first two-year-old race of the season back in September, Cambridge colt Sai Fah proved his durability when he took out the season's final black-type feature, the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki on Saturday.

The Stephen Marsh-trained galloper had indicated he was in fine fettle for the late- season challenge when successful over 1100m at Te Rapa seven days ago.

National Jockey's premiership leader Lisa Allpress took over in the saddle from Michael Coleman and produced a peach of a ride as she brought up her 1500th New Zealand career victory.

Leading rider Lisa Allpress after bringing up her 1500th New Zealand riding success at Otaki on Saturday. Photo/ Race Images, Peter Rubery

Sent forward from an outside barrier Sai Fah settled nicely, albeit four-wide on the speed before issuing a challenge on the point of the home turn.

Despite wanting to hang in badly, the Rios colt proved too tough for his rivals in the run home as he held out a late burst from Te Rapa visitor Flaunting to score a deserved victory.

Lisa was feeling suitably pleased with the result after bringing up her career milestone.

"That's pretty special, although numbers are just a thing as I'm out there to win every race I go in, a stakes race is always a little bit more special," Lisa said.

"I was thinking there was going to be an interesting text when I got back in. Up the straight I was thinking I will have both Danielle and Stephen riding this one so it was just very pleasing to get him to the line. He just tried so hard and you can see that the track conditions are really bad and he was struggling, but he just kept giving.

"I think he is going to be better on top of the ground so it's a true testament to the horse as he's very tough."

The colt has now won three of his eight career starts.

The win also edged Marsh closer to the 100-win mark for the season as he now sits on 97 victories with just the Tauranga meeting next Wednesday to round out the racing season.