Well-related four-year-old Raetihi showed his rivals a clean pair of heels as he led virtually throughout to score a narrow victory in the Cirka Group Handicap (1600m) at The Valley.
The son of Savabeel is prepared by Emma-Lee and David Browne from their Pakenham base and has found his winning groove this campaign, having commenced it a maiden.
The gelding has won three of his last five starts and finished no worse than fourth since resuming in August, with Saturday’s triumph making it successive wins at The Valley.
Sent to the front by rider Billy Egan shortly after jumping well from barrier eight in the 10-horse field, Raethi dictated terms nicely and was travelling well as he skipped clear rounding the home bend.
Chased hard by eventual runner-up Cradle Of Life, Egan got the best out of his mount to hold out the stout challenge and win by a neck at the line.
“He’s finally turned the corner. He used to be a hairy little horse that we knew had ability, but he is just loving life at the moment and Billy gave him a lovely ride,” Emma-Lee Browne said.
“He’s not the easiest, but Billy seems to just get a tune out of him.
“He is a very strong-willed horse and doesn’t like to take a sit easily.”
Egan confirmed Raetihi was nearly out of gas late but said he had gained some insights to the son of Savabeel having partnered him to his previous success at The Valley.
“He has been a little bit difficult but the (last two) races have worked out nicely for him,” Egan said.
“I learnt something from riding him the other day. I took my time when getting there the other day. I didn’t want to rev him up, but he is that way anyway so you can use him a bit early and cross them quickly because he is probably going to race a bit boldly no matter how kind you are to him.
“He can sustain a pretty good gallop. He just sustained it for long enough today and I don’t think he needs it any further than a mile.”
Bred by Waikato Stud, Raetihi is by Savabeel out of the O’Reilly mare Lego, a winning daughter of multiple Group One winner Legs.
Under their Sparta Racing banner, the Brownes went to $155,000 to purchase the gelding from the draft of Ohukia Lodge at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale.