The Michael and Matthew Pitman team strengthened their hand for the major sprint races on their home patch this season when Kinagat made an emphatic start to a new campaign at Riccarton on Saturday.

The five-year-old gelding had impressed many in his first New Zealand campaign last season when he put together a brace of victories after Michael Pitman purchased him off the track in Sydney where he had won two of his 10 career starts.

Pitman had expressed the opinion his charge had developed into a serious contender for major honours this year after spelling well during the winter months. Those sentiments looked well on the mark on Saturday where he treated his open class rivals with contempt as he eased to a comfortable three quarter length victory over 1200 metres in the hands of in-form rider Samantha Wynne.

“He really is all class and I had been expecting a big run for him as he has progressed really well for us this time in,” noted Pitman.

“He probably only did what he had to do on Saturday and they didn’t go that quick so there is plenty of improvement in him. He got to the front a little early in the run home but held them out comfortably so it was a pleasing effort.”

Pitman has ambitious plans in place for the Street Cry gelding with the first major target being the Gr. 3 Lindauer Stewards Stakes (1200m) on the middle day of Riccarton’s New Zealand Cup Carnival in November.

“Provided he comes up as we think he can I’ve earmarked the Stewards, the Railway at Ellerslie and the Telegraph at Trentham for this campaign,” he outlined.

“He showed us he can handle Ellerslie when he won second up for the stable last season and I do think his preferred pattern of racing makes him an ideal Trentham type. He went 1.07 for the 1200 here at Riccarton in his third start so he can definitely run the times required to win those big races.”

Pitman is hopeful that Kinagat will provide one of three prongs to the stable’s attack on the Stewards with classy mare First Serve and evergreen veteran El Chico also being aimed at the race.

Meanwhile the stable looks to have unearthed a potential juvenile star following a scintillating trial by Sensei before Saturday’s racing commenced at Riccarton.

Named in honour of Pitman’s son Johnny, who tragically took his own life in 2013, the Dream Ahead colt unleashed a devastating closing sprint to scorch home by four lengths in 46.58 seconds for the 800 metre journey.

Sensei will make his race debut at Riccarton on the 1st of October with Pitman declaring the colt is the best juvenile he has ever worked with.