Classy juvenile Landlock turned a few heads when pushing million-dollar colt Return to Conquer right down to the wire in Saturday’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), but the performance came as no surprise to his trainer Cody Cole.
The son of Merchant Navy was a debut winner and placed in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) before a storming run into fifth in the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m). Despite this, the gelding was heavily underrated in last Saturday’s $550,000 juvenile feature, starting at $41 while Return To Conquer dominated the market at $1.70.
In the hands of Kevin Stott, Landlock settled in the second half of the field, tracking Return To Conquer at every stride. The favourite hit the lead at the 150m and Landlock was closing in at serious speed, but on the line, the gelding was denied his elite-level crown by just a head.
“We probably weren’t as surprised as everyone thought we would be, he had been working very well and he’s always shown us a lot,” Cole said.
“We were pretty confident he was going to run a big race and thought he was at overs, you never go into a race like that thinking you’re going to win but at the same time, we weren’t surprised with the run.
“With what he did in the Millions, he showed that he’s really starting to put it together. He’d never had a trial before his first start and he’s just been learning as he’s been going along.
“It was the first time we’ve ridden him a little bit cold from that sticky gate in the Millions, and he showed that turn of foot that he’s got. We were always going to be relatively neutral from the gate again on Saturday and let him round it off if he could.”
The TAB bookmakers took notice of Landlock’s effort, catapulting him up the market for the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) to $8, behind Te Akau’s quartet of Return To Conquer, La Dorada, Hostility and To Bravery Born.
To be run in three weeks’ time at Trentham, the Sires’ was always Cole’s main target.
“That run on Saturday was only a stepping stone to the Sires’, that race was always our end goal and it was the logical step to go to the Sistema on the way there,” he said.
“We’ll just tick him over, he was five weeks between runs and had some time in the paddock during that period. He’s not a horse you have to work overly hard, we won’t be taking him out anywhere unless he does too well condition-wise.
“It’ll be business as usual for him until we head to Wellington, he’s very straightforward to train and has the perfect attitude for a two-year-old.”
Landlock elevated his career earnings above $184,000 with the placing, a far cry from the $20,000 bid that secured him out of Woburn Farm’s Book 2 draft at Karaka. He is the second Group One performer for Cole this term, after Navigator’s third-placed effort in the Telegraph (1200m).
“It’s very satisfying, I’m lucky that he’s got everything you need, the attitude, the ability and he’s very sound,” Cole said.
“We’ve had a couple of Group One placings this season, both times with horses that we picked out at the sales.”
