Promising stayer Embezzler (NZ) (Contributer) set himself up for a major autumn target when he scored a hard-fought victory in the feature distance event at Ellerslie on Saturday, the Horizon by Skycity Handicap (2200m).
The Ross McCarroll-bred, trained and part owned five-year-old hadn’t been seen since finishing beyond mid-field in a rating 75 2000m contest at Matamata back in February.
McCarroll was prepared to forgive the son of Contributor for his performance that day as he worked towards a start in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) in March, but an incident on a truck after a track gallop put the kibosh on those plans.
Although he felt his charge would take enormous benefit from his first race back, an opinion he relayed to both rider Ace Lawson-Carroll and the other connections of the horse, McCarroll was hoping to see an encouraging return to the track as he sets him on a path towards the Listed Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m) on 10 May.
Embezzler did more than that as he found an extra gear in the final 200m to dash between runners to put his head in front when it counted, taking the victory from Fly My Wey (NZ) (Sweynesse), Giacomo (NZ) (Puccini), Outback Opal (NZ) (El Roca) and Khan Hunter (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) in a blanket finish that saw a length between the first five home.
“He was actually supposed to run in the Auckland Cup but he got injured on the Tuesday before the race when he got his leg over a rail in the truck,” McCarroll said.
“I had to give him a week off so I told the owners not to back him (today) as he was a run short but he showed what he was capable of.
“The main aim is the Rotorua Cup so after today I will probably give him one more run then aim for that.”
Lawson-Carroll had also been expecting Embezzler to be caught short in the final stages after listening to McCarroll’s comments prior to the race.
“He (McCarroll) came up to me as I was jumping on and said we would need the run today and although we were definitely in need of the winning post the last 100m, he found the line well,” he said.
“There was a nice tempo up front and when Fly My Wey got rolling I knew it was time to follow him. He took me in to it and my guy came on really good as he is a nice horse.
“I hope with a performance like that today Ross will keep me on.”
Embezzler is out of McCarroll’s handy mare Stole who won three races in a limited career on the track before being retired to the broodmare paddock. His extended family includes multiple stakes winners Decorated Hero and Whilly.