Smart four-year-old Wrote To Arataki proved too strong at Flemington in the Henry Byron Moore Handicap (1400m) on New Year’s Day under an inspired front-running ride by Jamie Kah.
The Matthew Williams-trained daughter of Wrote has now won three of her nine career starts and added another string to her bow after dictating throughout as opposed to her usual closing pattern.
“Jamie had the race summed up as far as tempo was concerned,” Williams said.
“Personally, I didn’t see her leading but I did give Jamie an open book to do as she felt based on tempo and how the horse began and she has got it right and that is why she is the top gun.
“She deserved a win like this. Her two runs back have been terrific She had great sectionals at Sandown last start and it is terrific to get a result for the owners
“One of the owners passed away during the week, Glen Plumridge so I am sure he was giving an extra kick there over the last 100m.”
The Warrnambool trainer will now ponder what to do next with the Kiwi import, who was rated 67 prior to Sunday’s success.
“She is three runs in and is probably at the stage where we could give her a little let up and then have her ready for that early part of the autumn where it is pretty hard for those horses that competed in the later part of the spring to be back and primed up and ready,” Williams said.
“That might be a little advantage we could have a look at and potentially find a Listed mares race for her.”
Winning jockey Jamie Kah was pleased she was given carte blanche by Williams.
“I wanted to be positive as I didn’t think there was any pace in the race and it turned out that there wasn’t,” Kah said.
“She got across really cheap. It was a new experience for her doing that and she was really brave and tough to lead them up the whole straight. It is a long straight and she dug in deep where it counted.
“She was floating and just wanted to lay in a bit that last hundred, just wondering where everyone else was. She is normally back and chasing home and it is a new experience for her that will benefit her and she will win a lot of races for the team.”
By Wrote, Highview Stud’s Group One winning son of High Chaparral, Wrote To Arataki is out of the multiple winning Align mare Galloping Gerte.
Wrote To Arataki finished third in her only trial in New Zealand for former trainers Emma-Lee and David Browne before her private sale to the Williams stable through bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo.