Pudding (NZ) Prevails in John Letts Cup

Adelaide trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly paid only $65,000 at Karaka 2020 to buy Pudding (NZ) (Tavistock), who took his career earnings to A$283,205 with a tenacious performance in Saturday’s A$120,000 Listed John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville.

The five-year-old gelding has now had 21 starts for eight wins, a second and three thirds, already banking almost five times his purchase price.

Pudding was ridden by Jake Toeroek on Saturday and took up a comfortable position in fourth spot along the rail. He came out and swooped four-wide around the home turn to lodge his bid, then surged forward to take the lead halfway down the home straight.

His job was far from over as it developed into a tough four-horse battle to the finish against Captain Envious (NZ) (Savabeel), Party Princess (So You Think) and Arran Bay (All Too Hard), but Pudding dug deepest of all to score a narrow win over Captain Envious.

“He just showed his resilience,” Toeroek said. “He's a horse that, when he does hit the front, it's very hard to get past him. He showed how tough he is. The ears were flat back on his neck. He's a real winner.”

Pudding continued a highly successful run for vendors Hallmark Stud, who celebrated a Group Two double with their Karaka graduates last weekend. Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) won the Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley, while Impendabelle (Impending) took out the Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe.