Crosshaven Shines in Exford Plate

13 September 2020

Crosshaven claims the Listed Exford Pate (1400m). Photo: Racing Photos.
Crosshaven claims the Listed Exford Pate (1400m). Photo: Racing Photos.

Karaka graduate Crosshaven (Smart Missile) booked his ticket to the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) with an emphatic win in Saturday’s A$140,000 Listed Antler Luggage Exford Plate (1400m) at Flemington.

An $80,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2019, Crosshaven has now won three of his four starts and A$154,588 in stakes. His only defeat was a luckless last-start sixth in the Group Three HDF McNeil Stakes (1200m), where trainers Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes believe he would have gone close to winning if he had not been checked in the last 150 metres.

Crosshaven struck no such misfortune on Saturday, racing in second place for jockey Daniel Stackhouse before pouncing in the straight and kicking ahead to win by a length and a half.

“He's still a big, raw gelding, so he'll take great benefit from today, I think,” Stackhouse said. "The plan was to take our time and get him into a really good rhythm. You can see that he's still not stretching out 100%, he's still learning what he's doing.”

Dabernig agrees that it’s onwards and upwards from here for Crosshaven, including a potential shot at the Caulfield Guineas on October 10.

“In his races over 1200 metres he's always been just off the bridle, so the step up in trip was good,” he said. “To see him win like that today was so exciting.”

The next generation of outstanding New Zealand thoroughbred talent will be showcased at Karaka 2021, starting with Book 1 which runs across three days from Sunday 24 January. That will be followed by by Book 2 from Wednesday 27 through to Friday 29 January.

Vendor Haunui Farm
Purchaser Lindsay Park Racing (Victoria)
Breeding Smart Missile – Irish Colleen
Sale Lot 103, Karaka 2019 Book 1, $80,000
Bred by Mr D Nakhle & E Nakhle