Hasahalo wins 2017 Gavelhouse.Com Nz 1000 Guineas Group 1 NZ$300,000 at Riccarton Park (NZ), 1600m.
A perhaps unlucky second in the 2017 Karaka Million (RL, 1200m), Hasahalo, a Group Three winner at two, trounced a good field with a familiar strong finish to win easily, her second in nine starts. She drew wide (13) so jockey Samantha Spratt settled her back of midfield, one off the fence.
She drifted slightly around the big bend and turning in was one of the last three. Into the straight Spratt pulled the right rein to get into the clear and once she saw daylight she accelerated quickly, raced up to the leaders at the 150m then came away to win impressively by four lengths, leaving few excuses for the field.
Dijon Bleu got away from the fence on the bend to run up four wide before they straightened, had a great view at the top of the straight and stayed on well but was left in the winner's wake.
The Lustre was well back at the top of the straight and racing greenly, finished well late to grab third from stablemate The Sparkle, who had every chance in the straight lunging into fourth on the line.
Favourite Prom Queen was third most of the way, took over and looked likely at the 250m but didn't see out the 1600m, fading to ninth.
