Habana Joins 2020 Ready to Run Sale Roll of Honour

With an outstanding performance in Tuesday’s $110,000 Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) at Pukekohe, rising star Habana (Zoustar) became the seventh individual stakes winner to come out of the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.

Tuesday’s black-type feature was the seventh win of a 14-start career for Habana and his first at stakes level. He had previously placed in the Group Three Easter Handicap (1600m) and Group Three Sweynesse Stakes (1200m). Passed in at the 2020 Ready to Run Sale with a $200,000 reserve, Habana has already amassed $263,150 in prize-money.

Habana has joined a 2020 Ready to Run Sale roll of honour that also features triple Group One-winning Hong Kong sprint superstar Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse), Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) hero Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock), the Group Three winner and Group One-placed Antino (NZ) (Redwood), and fellow stakes winners Shamus (NZ) (Shamexpress), Amalfi Prince (Sebring) and Fierce Flight (Flying Artie).

Habana rose to prominence last season with four wins from seven starts, and he made an eye-catching start to 2023-24 with a big finish for a close third in last month’s Sweynesse Stakes.

The step up to 1500 metres on Tuesday played to Habana’s advantage, and he burst out of the pack to run down El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) and score by a short neck in the hands of leading jockey Warren Kennedy.

Habana was part of a huge day at Pukekohe for Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay and their trainer Lance Noble, who also teamed up to win races with homebreds About Time (NZ) (American Pharoah), Aquacade (NZ) (Dundeel) and Flamebird (NZ) (Shooting To Win).

“Habana had come through that first-up run in the Sweynesse Stakes well,” Noble said. “He’s a lot stronger this year than he was last year, and his record at Pukekohe is really strong.”

The 2023 edition of the Ready to Run Sale will be staged at Karaka on November 22 and 23.