Dominant Listed Victory for Amusez Moi (NZ)

Highly talented five-year-old Amusez Moi (NZ) (Dalghar) took his career to new heights with a commanding performance in Saturday’s $60,000 Listed AGC Training Stakes (1650m) at Waverley. 

The gelding has been a three-time visitor to the Karaka sales complex, having been bought for $7,000 at the 2017 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale, then $26,000 at Karaka 2018 and $60,000 at the 2018 Ready to Run Sale. He has now earned more than all of those amounts combined, amassing $131,362 in a 23-start career that has featured six victories and six placings.

Saturday’s first stakes success is a clear career highlight, emphatically beating a talented weight-for-age field in the hands of in-form jockey Lisa Allpress. Given a rails run in midfield, Amusez Moi needed no second invitation when a gap opened coming up to the home turn.

Amusez Moi burst through along the inside and dashed clear early in the home straight, putting himself well out of reach of the favourite Justaskme (NZ) (No Excuse Needed) and scoring by two and a quarter lengths.

Racing in the colours of Diane and Dr John Bowbyes, Amusez Moi is trained at Otaki by Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard.

“Lisa summed it up nicely and took the bull by the horns at the 600 metres, which won her the race,” Benner said.

“He is a horse that has good ability with a good strike rate, and he can run time when he wins. He isn’t just a mudlark, as he has won on better tracks, but I do think it suits him best when he can get his toe in the ground.

“We are going to tip him out for a break now and get him back for the spring. With the sort of tracks he could get then, I think he will be competitive in some of the better races with natural improvement.

“He is the stable pet at home and although he has a few quirks, he is a neat horse to have around the stable.”