Bassett (NZ) Strikes Again in Hareeba Stakes

Karaka graduate Bassett (NZ) (Savabeel) scored his second consecutive stakes win when he took out Saturday’s A$120,000 Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington.

A last-start winner of the A$120,000 Listed Abell Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley just over a week ago, the four-year-old gelding was similarly impressive on Saturday as he worked forward from a wide gate to sit in second place before sprinting clear in the straight for a one-length win.

“This is unreal - I thought this horse was my best ride,” said apprentice jockey Beau Mertens, who won four races on the day. “He's in fine form and a tough horse. He put himself up there and makes his own luck. He was travelling pretty well and I thought I was catching Prussian Vixen into the straight.”

Purchased at Karaka for $60,000, Bassett has now won five of his 18 starts for more than $370,000 in prizemoney.

Having already earned more than six times his purchase price, Bassett is now likely to be given an opportunity at Group 1 level.

“I reckon he'll have a breather now and we might investigate a race like the Goodood with him fresh,” trainer Mick Price said. “We’ll look at better races with him.

“He did a superb job today, to get used in the first 600 (metres) and then fight and fight, I thought it was outstanding.”

Bred by Qatar Bloodstock, Bassett is out of the stakes-placed Captain Rio mare Fledgling (NZ) – a half-sister to the Group 1 winner and sire Fully Fledged (NZ) (Align).

Bassett was offered by Westbury Stud at the 2014 Premier Sale, where he was bought by former trainer Peter Moody. He now races for a large group of owners, made up of MJ Scheele, VM Stackhouse, S Hillier, Mrs H Hillier, PG Green, AW Bruhn, SW Bruhn, MC Bryant, Mrs CMH Bryant, VYK Ip, JW Daniels, Mrs SM Ridgway, M Maskell, TN Porter and WS Pelchen.