Bold Statement By Natuzzi

A powerful display by Natuzzi (NZ) (Coats Choice) saw him victorious in the $50,000 Listed Hallmark Stud Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie yesterday.

Natuzzi (NZ) wins the Listed Hallmark Stud Newmarket Handicap. Photo courtesy of Trish Dunell.

Ellerslie’s feature sprint race was Natuzzi’s fourth win in a Listed race and his first win since returning from Australia last season. He also claimed two seconds in Group 3 races this season and finished second in last year’s Group 1 Telegraph Handicap.

Trained by Paul Richards, the race-favourite trailed the field and was last on the corner but produced a bold run with jockey Chris Johnson and powered to the front to claim victory by a neck.

Following Natuzzi’s lead was Trepidation (NZ) (Falkirk), who took second place, and Spitfire Lady (Hussonet) finished third.

“Halfway down the straight I thought he’d left it a bit late, but that’s Chris,” says Paul Richards. “He knows how to get the job done.

“We’ll just concentrate on the Telegraph – that’s his main aim,” comments Richards.

Yesterday’s win tallied nine wins from his 26 starts for Natuzzi and has earned $324,724 for owners J W & Mrs S D Duell.

The son of Coats Choice was purchased by Ross Becket at the 2010 South Island Sale of 2YOs and Mixed Bloodstock for $9,000 from Three Valleys.

The six-year-old gelding was bred by S E & Mrs S J McGiffert and is out of winning mare Monsanto (Kilimanjaro). His dam is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Chime Zam (Chimes Square).