TESTA Rossa gelding Meshmaker enhanced his SAJC Derby credentials and Gentleman Ainsworths reputation when recording his third win inside five starts taking out the Mo Barry’s 80th Birthday Handicap (1529m) in Adelaide yesterday.
Meshmaker’s surging 0.8-lens victory, six weeks after his last appearance, was a personal triumph for LOEG and twenty-five-year-old Sam Kavanagh, son of Melbourne Cup winning trainer, Mark.
Meshmaker was Sam’s first runner in his own right as a trainer and could very well give the young horseman his first major win when the Derby rolls around in May.
It was also the a welcome collect for LOEG with Gentleman Ainsworth backing him pre-post with utmost confidence. The result was never in doubt becoming the first of a double on the day with Zara Zulu saluting at the meadows that night.
“It was a big day for Sam, it was a big day for LOEG” said Ainsworth, “I’m just taking it one week (in every seven) at a time, but I reckon Collingwood will not be beaten in the real season and that’ll see me come out on top of LOEG table’s.”
Should Meshmaker be able to take out the 2500m classic he would emulate one of Testa Rossa’s prior Group 1 winners in Testafiable who won the feature back in 2006 for trainer Peter Moody.
Testa Rossa delivered yet another two-State double on the weekend, Meshmaker’s effort was followed later in the day when Panpique scored the Listed VRC Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m) at Flemington.
It was the second black type for win for Panipique, a current day member of the Peter Moody stables, who won the VRC Miss Security Stakes (1100m) this time last year.
Panipique will now be aimed at the Group 1 ATC Galaxy (1200m) at Randwick on April 21.
