Eight-year-old gelding Justacanta (NZ) (Per Incanto) landed his first stakes win when running out a strong winner of the Listed Paris Lane Stakes (1410m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Group Three placed in New Zealand, Justacanta was transferred by trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy to Patrick Payne in Victoria earlier in the spring, after trialling well on two occasions.
The son of Per Incanto disappointed first-up at Moonee Valley but put in a much-improved performance when sixth in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1300m) at Sandown last week, before making his black-type breakthrough.
Relishing the slick tempo of Saturday’s contest, Justacanta came with a well-timed run under jockey Dean Yendall to bank the thick-end of the A$175,000 prizemoney.
Yendall was unable to contact trainer Patrick Payne prior to the race and admitted to winging it.
“My phone decided to kark it this morning so I had to go and find a chargeable prepaid (phone) which wasn’t ideal so I didn’t get in contact,” the likeable Yendall said.
“So I said to the strapper ‘what do you want me to do’ and she said, ‘I haven’t spoken to him (Payne) so just ride him where he’s comfortable and that’s what I did.
“He landed in a nice spot, travelled really well and just needed an out. When I did, he really found the line strongly towards the end. It was a really nice win.”
Justacanta was sent to Australia in search of more opportunities by his former Byerley Park trainers at the beginning of New Zealand’s most recent lockdown.
“He was just looking for some opportunities. He got up a bit in the ratings in New Zealand,” Shaun Clotworthy said.
“He is limited in New Zealand and one of the owners has had horses with Patrick before so they decided to send him over and see if he can measure up over there.”
The Clotworthys remain in the ownership of Justacanta, who has now earned A$256,184 and has won seven of 50 starts, with a further 20 placings.
The current ownership group purchased the handy galloper for just $6,000 as a tried horse off gavelhouse.com, with the Little Avondale-bred son of Per Incanto winning three starts for Hamilton trainer David Greene.
