First Points in NZB Spring WFA Championship to Mourinho

Fetching first points towards the New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship at Caulfield was Mourinho (Oratorio) with a narrow victory in Saturday’s Group 2 $200,000 Back to Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m).

Mourinho wins the Group 2 Back to Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes.

A winner of six stakes races, including the Group 2 Australia Stakes and the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes, with a placing in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes in between, this was Mourinho’s first start for the newly appointed trainer Darryl Blackshaw.

“It was a very exciting win,” remarked Blackshaw.  “I’ve been 40 years without a group runner let alone a winner.

“He had been working really well going into the race and thought he would be a chance. He will go to Moonee Valley next for the Group 2 Dato Ta Chin Nam Stakes after which he will return to his original trainer (Peter Gelagotis).”

Drawn the inside barrier, Mourinho went forward in the early stages with regular rider Vlad Duric on board, settling in third position on the rail. Tracking pace-maker The Cleaner (Savoire Vivre) in the initial stages, Vlad pushed the son of Oratorio off the fence, chasing the leader with Excess Knowledge (Monsun) on his outside.

An emphatic run by The Cleaner did not deter Mourinho as he edged his way to the front taking a narrow lead in the closing stages to score by a nose over The Cleaner and Dibayani (Shamardal) in third place.

Winning 10 races from 36 starts, the eight-year-old gelding has earned A$1,084,997 in prizemoney for his owners Mr T Ferrano, Mr C W Neal, Mr P Cauchi, Mr L Tartaglione, Ms D Binini, Mr R Bausch, Mr U Bausch, Mr M Nardella, Mr S Forte, Mr P B Pavey, Mr S J Porch, Mr M J Quigley, Mr J Dimech, Mr D Tartaglione and Miss R Tartaglione.

Mourinho is out of the New Zealand-bred mare Benevolent (Generous), who is a half-sister to the stakes winning kiwi galloper Prieur Way (Star Way), winner of the Group 3 Rotorua Challenge P.H.. Benevolent is also the dam of four other horses to race, all winners, including winner of the Group 3 Sires’ Produce Stakes, Molto Bene (Royal Academy).

Saturday’s win earned Mourinho 10 points in the NZB Spring WFA Championship with The Cleaner receiving 8 points for finishing second and third placegetter Dibayani collecting 6 points, with points awarded back to eighth place.

The second leg in the NZB Spring WFA Championship will be held on 29 August with the running of the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes – the first Group 1 race in Australia for the 2015/16 season.

To view the current leaderboard for New Zealand Bloodstock’s Spring WFA Championship at Caulfield, click here.