Rider Masa Hashizume enjoyed one of his best days in the saddle when he claimed a winning treble at Ellerslie, including an impressive victory aboard Jaarffi (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the newly minted $350,000 Rangitoto Classic (1500m).
The Classic is another in a series of innovative special events around the country this season, with this contest for horses from stables where their trainer sat outside of the Top 10 in prizemoney at midnight 30 November 2023.
Prepared by Lance Noble at Karaka for Cambridge Stud couple Brendan and Jo Lindsay, who also bred her, the talented but enigmatic mare came with a sustained finish for Hashizume to down Central Districts visitor Town Cryer and race favourite Pour The Wine.
Noble admitted the team had taken a punt with the four-year-old daughter of Iffraaj, who has been a work in progress since making her debut in March last year.
“She hasn’t been the easiest mare to train, and she can be pretty difficult during her trackwork,” Noble said.
“She has a lot of ability and is still learning and I did think today might have been a little bit of a bridge too far, but Brendan said have a go and we did.
“Masa rode her so well as she tries to do everything at one hundred miles an hour and can fight the rider but today, with the speed on, she could relax and when she does, she can get home, which she did.
“We had a look at these races (Rangitoto Classic) and we tried to target them but thought maybe it was too soon for her and we had the option to drop back to her own rating, but she has done a terrific job.
“I think next year we will see the best of her and she is definitely up to black type level.”
Hashizume sported a smile a mile long as he accepted congratulations after the victory.
“That’s just unbelievable,” he said.
“It just worked out well from the barrier as she didn’t have to do anything and travelled beautifully relaxed.
“I knew she had a better sprint that Warren’s horse (jockey Warren Kennedy aboard Pour The Wine) and it worked out well.
“I was confident from the corner and I knew she could run home in good time.”
Hashizume had taken the first race on the card aboard Gentian Blue (NZ) (Reliable Man) before scoring on Positivity (NZ) (Almanzor) in the Gr.3 McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m), ahead of his victory on Jaarffi.
The $175,000 first prize for the race has significantly boosted the career earnings for Jaarffi who has now won three of her eight starts and $228,000 in prizemoney.
Out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Pride Of Tralee, Jaarffi is closely related to the Australian champion three-year-old filly and triple Group One winner Serenade Rose and dual Group One winner Trekking.
