Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images)
A long wait for Wolfgang’s (Puccini) day in the big-race spotlight came to a spectacular end at Trentham on Saturday when he overpowered his opposition in the Gr.3 NZCIS Wellington Cup (3200m).
The time-honoured $400,000 feature was the 13th appearance at Group or Listed level for Wolfgang, who had shown bright promise at that level ever since his two-year-old days. He finished fifth in that season’s Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m), second in the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1000m), third in the Gr.3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m), sixth in the Gr.3 Waikato Stud Matamata Slipper (1200m) and 10th in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
After a seventh in the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) in the early stages of his three-year-old season in September 2021, Wolfgang’s connections opted to play the long game. The Puccini gelding spent more than three years away from black-type company before returning there on both sides of the Tasman during his coming-of-age campaign as a six-year-old this season.
Wolfgang kicked off the spring with back-to-back wins in open handicaps at Hastings and Matamata in September and October. He then ventured across the Tasman and showed he belonged on the big stage with a gallant sixth in the Gr.2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield and a fourth in the Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m).
He returned home and continued to perform at a high level, running second in the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) and Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m). Wolfgang produced sub-par performances when unplaced in the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) and this month’s Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie, but he carried on towards Trentham for Saturday’s career-defining win.
Patiently ridden by Joe Doyle, Wolfgang settled fourth-last as fellow Matamata raider Arby led the field around a circuit of the Trentham track at barely more than a canter.
Arby began to up the ante turning out of the back straight, with Wolfgang still languishing more than a dozen lengths behind him and facing an increasingly daunting task.
But Doyle brought Wolfgang to the outside at the home turn and turned him loose down the roomy Trentham straight. Wolfgang quickly came with giant strides out wide on the track, powering to the lead with 200m remaining and pulling away to win by a length and a half. Crouch and Nest Egg collected the minor placings just ahead of the fourth-placed Trav, who himself produced an eye-catching finish from last.
Wolfgang was bred by Mapperley Stud, who offered him in Book 1 of Karaka 2020 and failed to meet his $50,000 reserve. Mapperley principal Simms Davison retained him to race alongside Kim and Peter McKay, who won the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) with Wolfgang’s sire Puccini.
From 42 starts, Wolfgang has now had seven wins and 10 placings, earning $550,917 in stakes.
Peter McKay trains Wolfgang in partnership with his son, former jockey Shaun.
“This is unreal, I had a little tear there,” Shaun McKay said. “I was never able to ride a 3200m winner in my career, but it’s special to be lucky enough to train one today with Dad.
“Mum and Dad had the stallion too and had some great success with him, so that just makes it even better.
“He just showed today that he’s a really tough horse. We tried to get a Group win with him as a two-year-old and kept going close with placings. We had to be patient, and now he just keeps getting better and better as a six-year-old. I think he’ll be even better in six months’ time.
“Hopefully we can get him back to Aussie next season and pick up a good win there. You never know how a horse is going to go over the 3200m until you try, but the way he really flew home over that distance today gives us a bit of confidence. It would be amazing to get him to the Melbourne Cup (Gr.1, 3200m).”
Wolfgang became the second Wellington Cup winner for Doyle, who won the race with Leaderboard in 2023.
“It’s fantastic,” Doyle said. “I’m lucky enough to have won the race twice now, and Mum and Dad are here today all the way from Ireland. So it’s a brilliant thrill to win a race like this in front of them.
“The McKays are absolute masterminds. His run at Ellerslie last time, you’d think it was average, but they really believed he was in great form coming into today. When I pushed the button in the straight, he just ran past them.
“It’s fantastic for the McKays. They’re only a small stable but they do fantastic work and deserve results like this.”
