After several near misses in Gr.1 races, Weregoingtogetcha has broken through for his first black-type win in the G3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) at Awapuni.
He scored by two lengths on Saturday to become the 56th stakes winner by Vinery sire Testa Rossa.
Weregoingtogetcha settled well back in a muddling-run race and was still among the tailenders on the home turn. “I knew he could pick them up and he would have won by further but for hanging in down the straight,” jockey Mark Du Plessis said. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see him win a Group 1.”
The Australian bred stayer was runner-up to star mare Soriano in the G1 Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day last year. “I said all week he would be very hard to handle if he could reproduce that run,” Du Plessis claimed. “He’s a really good racehorse.”
Earlier in his career, the colt was runner-up in the LR Ryder Stakes, third in the G2 Waikato Guineas and fifth in the G1 NZ Derby. Connections were looking at the 2014 Queensland winter carnival before a severe case of ringworm ruled out a trip across the Tasman.
Weregoingtogetcha (5h Testa Rossa- Sweetness ‘n Light by Entrepreneur) cost Kiwi trainer David Hayes $67,5000 as a foal at the 2011 Magic Millions National Sale. “He’s had a few problems but has always had Group 1 ability and showed what he can do today. We will skip the Zabeel Classic next week – the plan is to head towards the Wellington carnival and take things from there.”
His older half-sister Sweet Talkin Woman (More Than Ready) won 6 races for Prime Thoroughbreds and trainer Kris Lees. She foaled a Not A Single Doubt filly first-up in October.
Testa Rossa has four lots entered for the Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale starting on January 6 including (Lot 56), a three-quarter brother to G2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Twilight Royale.
