Roger James and Robert Wellwood hope to weave a path to the ITM/GIB 3YO Final (1600m) with Aladdin Sane after the gelding delivered on his promise with victory at the Cambridge Synthetic meeting on Wednesday.
The progressive son of Satono Aladdin commenced his career on the stable’s home track last September, with a runner-up finish emulated at a first attempt on turf prior to spelling.
Favoured when resuming last month, Aladdin Sane gave the impression that a step-up in distance would suit, and he utilised every metre of the 1550m to capture his maiden success, tracking wide from barrier 11 and eventually wearing down a gallant pacemaker in Lucky Bay by half a head.
Wellwood indicated the pair had contemplated running the gelding on turf at Te Rapa on Saturday but were wary of impending rain, and they were pleased to have pulled the right rein.
“He’s always been a horse that has shown a bit of ability, but he’s just taken time in one way or the other,” he said.
“We were in two minds whether to run him today with the wide draw, but with rain expected later in the week we decided to.
“I thought it was a really good run, albeit by a small margin, but he had to sit wide and he won nicely in the end.”
With wetter tracks looming, Aladdin Sane will likely be campaigned on the synthetic and further north at Ruakaka, with the ITM/GIB 3YO Final (1600m) on July 13 an exciting end-of-season prospect.
“It definitely is a possible target, he probably wants good ground, so he’ll be based between the synthetic and Ruakaka between now and then,” Wellwood said.
“It would be nice to get to that race as his final for the three-year-old year, and he’s going to mature into a nice horse next season.”
Bred by Rich Hill Stud, Aladdin Sane was purchased for $32,000 out of New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2022 National Online Yearling Sale by Wellwood, and has earned $16,520 in four starts.
Kingsclere Stables will be represented at Te Rapa’s meeting on Saturday by two runners, including Windsor Park Stud mare Black Queen in the PGG Wrightson Grain 2100.
The daughter of Mongolian Khan was campaigned in Australia under Chris Waller and secured three wins in the 2000-2400m range, before returning to her homeland and failing to get in foal to Almanzor this season.
A half-sister to Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) winner Dynastic and stakes-placed juvenile Nebuchadnezzar, Black Queen made her first raceday appearance in more than a year in April, and showed improvement second-up over 1600m.
“She’d been off the scene for a long time, so her first-up run over a mile at Wellington was a glorified trial really,” Wellwood said.
“Her second run was very good, but again she probably just blew out in condition near the end.
“I think this time she will be fitter for it all, and with the lightweight (54kg) she’s a nice chance.”
The mare will jump from barrier 10, as will stablemate and reliable performer Urban Myth when he takes his place in the Jones Trucking 1400 under Vinnie Colgan.
“He’s an honest, consistent horse who probably goes better left-handed, so it’ll be good to see him back that way around,” Wellwood said.
“They’ll both just need a bit of luck from the draw unfortunately.”