½ Brother to Justanexcuse at Karaka 2012

Saturday's $70,000 Group 3 Harcourts Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Awapanui saw a brilliant performance from Justanexcuse (NZ) who led home an NZB quinella to win his first black-type race.

Trained by the in-form Lisa Latta and ridden by jockey Darryl Bradley, Justanexcuse (No Excuse Needed x Aggressive) came from mid-field and exploded in the home straight, cruising past the three-year-old Antonio Lombardo in a hands and heels ride to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths.

The winner of a $40,000 Open Handicap 1400 metre race at Riccarton at his last start, the five-year-old has been racing in solid form this season placing in the Group 3 Traderacks Stakes, Listed Matamata Cup and Group 3 Thompson Handicap.

Justanexcuse is the latest winner for the highly successful partnership of owner Lincoln Farms and trainer Lisa Latta. The combination have also seen Fort Lincoln win the Karaka Million (Res.L) earlier this year, Platinum Princess (Keeper) take the Group 2 Coupland's Bakeries Mile, and President Lincoln (O'Reilly) claim the Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Wellington Guineas.

Bred by Steve Luey and Waikato Stud, Justanexcuse is the 13th stakes winner for his sire No Excuse Needed. Standing at Waikato Stud, No Excuse Needed has also sired the Group 1 AJC Oaks/Group 1 Windsor Park Plate winner Daffodil and has 20 yearlings in the 2012 National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka (2 Premier, 13 Select & 5 Festival).

A half-brother to the stakes winner On Call (Ironclad), the dam of the Group 1 winner Scarlett Lady (Savabeel), Justanexcuse has a half-brother in the 2012 Karaka Select Sale, the colt by the exciting young sire Any Suggestion at Lot 558. The colt will be offered by Tom & Shelly Murtagh's Esker Lodge.

The Group 3 win was Justanexcuse's ninth victory from 35 starts. Justanexcuse was purchased by Beamish Bloodstock from Waikato Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2008 Karaka Premier Sale for $105,000. He has now won over $240,000 in stakes and holds a nomination for the Group 1 Thorndon Mile.

Running second in Saturday's Group 3 event was the Murray Baker trained Karaka graduate Twilight Savings (NZ) (Secret Savings x Ghemashah) who has also been in solid form this season, beating home Justanexcuse when winning the Group 3 Traderacks Stakes in early October. She holds nominations for the Group 1 Thorndon Mile, Group 1 Railway Stakes and Group 1 Telegraph Handicap.