Tight photo finishes were the story of Saturday’s meeting at Pukekohe Park, and in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Qualifier (1600m), there was no exception with a four-way go topped by Aladdin Sane.
The four-year-old gelding had finished runner-up in each of his starts at competitive Rating 65 grade this preparation, and regular rider George Rooke remained on board as he contested a field of progressive types over the mile.
A wide barrier draw (12) forced Rooke to press forward from his three-wide position, settling in the first trio outside of Rule Of Law and Sinhaman. Aladdin Sane and Sinhaman were on even terms all the way down the Pukekohe straight and were joined by Subtle Power and the fast-closing Rosetown Princess on the line, with the photo eventually favouring the son of Satono Aladdin by a nose.
Aladdin Sane is prepared by Roger James and Robert Wellwood at Cambridge, who were thrilled to see his consistent form rewarded.
"He's been very honest and has been knocking on the door. It was great to see him get the win, albeit very tight," Wellwood said.
"Unfortunately drawn wide, he's had to settle three or four wide, and he's probably a better horse ridden quietly. It was an unavoidable circumstance meaning he had to press forward, which made the win even better.
"He ended up right there and nearly in front a long way out, and he was just tough to the line."
In its 26th year, the Dunstan Stayers Series culminates on Boxing Day at Ellerslie with the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Final (2400m), a race firmly on the radar for Aladdin Sane.
"He'll probably have one run over 2000-2100m somewhere, there's a number of options for him," Wellwood said.
"Hopefully then, we'll go on to the Dunstan Final on Boxing Day."
Bred by Rich Hill Thoroughbreds, the Cambridge trainers purchased Aladdin Sane for $32,000 on the New Zealand Bloodstock Online Yearling Sale in 2022. Raced by a large ownership group, the gelding has finished in the first pair in six of his eight starts, earning $83,695 in stakes.
"At that stage, it was early days of Satono Aladdin, but he was a stallion that we liked," Wellwood said.
"He (Aladdin Sane) came up online and he was a good type that walked very well. We didn't pay a lot for him, but he's been a very genuine horse and with time, as he goes further, he's only going to do more.
"It's exciting for the ownership group going forward."
