Harlech (NZ) the Hero in Hazlett Stakes

Well-performed Karaka graduate Harlech (NZ) (Darci Brahma) turned back the clock with a runaway performance in the $80,000 Listed Nellies Restaurant & Bar Hazlett Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Saturday.

Harlech was a $100,000 purchase by Paul Moroney Bloodstock from the Book 1 draft of breeders The Oaks Stud at Karaka 2018. He is now an eight-year-old and has had 43 starts for five wins, 10 placings and $604,855 in stakes.

Harlech showed bright promise from very early on in his career, winning the Group Two Sarten Memorial (1400m) as a spring three-year-old and placing in the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Group One Levin Classic (1600m) in that same campaign.

He has gone on to place in numerous other feature races including the Group One Livamol Classic (2040m), but Saturday’s Wingatui feature was his first black-type win since he took out the Sarten some five years ago.

Rider Kylie Williams positioned Harlech in third place for most of Saturday’s race before angling him into the clear and letting him rip. Harlech dashed to the lead and put his rivals to the sword, going clear to win by three and a half lengths.

“He has stolen the show today and it was just so good to see him back like that,” trainer Pam Gerard said. “In all fairness, he was very good at Otaki last start (in November), but we had a hiccup with him after an adverse reaction to some medication so we had to back off him and get ready to come down south.

“He went down there early and has been chilling out and really thriving on the routine he has got into. He is a very happy horse and he seems to have his mojo back now.”

Harlech is the best of six winners from eight foals to race out of The Oaks Stud’s quality mare Obsession (NZ) (Bachelor Duke), who herself won four races including the Group Two Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and the Listed (now Group Two) Westbury Classic (1400m).