Flaunting (NZ) Leads Home Karaka Trifecta in Castletown

Graduates of the Karaka 2018 Sale finished first, second and third in Saturday’s $50,000 Listed John Turkington Forestry Ltd Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui, headed by the talented and gutsy filly Flaunting (NZ) (Showcasing).

Bought for $40,000 during the Book 2 session of last year’s Sale, the lightly raced Flaunting boosted her earnings to $49,500 on Saturday – along with a valuable first piece of black-type for her pedigree page.

Runner-up She’s A Lady (NZ) (Swiss Ace) was passed in during the Book 3 session with a $12,000 reserve. She has now earned $33,410 in prize-money. Third-placed Jager Bombed (NZ) (Charm Spirit) cost $20,000 in Book 1 and has earned $14,275 in his five starts to date.

Flaunting won and placed in her first two starts then was unplaced against a stellar field in the $1m Karaka Million 2YO (1200m). After warming up with a trial win on May 14, Saturday was her return to racing action.

Ridden by Sam Spratt for Te Rapa trainer David Greene, Flaunting eased back to the tail of the field after the first 200 metres of the race.

Spratt waited until the home straight to make her move, then weaved her way through the field and surged into contention alongside She’s A Lady and Jager Bombed. In an exciting three-way finish, Flaunting proved strongest of all and beat She’s A Lady by a long head. Jager Bombed was another head away in third place.

“It was a really tough win,” Greene said. “She had to go back and then pick a path through. But Sammy (Spratt) is so good at doing that, and horses just keep going for her. I thought that was a very gutsy win today.

“We’ll probably tick her over now and then have a crack at the (Listed) Ryder Stakes (1200m) at the end of July.”