Hartnell claims first points in NZB Spring WFA Championship

Hartnell (Authorized) claimed the first points towards the New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship with victory in Saturday’s A$200,000 Group 2 Charge Of The Light Horse P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m), at Caulfield.

The Godolphin representative showed why he is the second highest rated horse in Australia, behind Winx, with an impressive display at his Caulfield debut.

Ridden for the first time on raceday by Craig Williams, Hartnell was quick away from the gate and sat on the pace behind leader Charmed Harmony throughout, before cruising past him at the 100m mark to win by one-and-a-half-lengths.  

“The stable was very confident today, they were very bullish about him and he delivered,” said Williams, who was quick to credit trainer James Cummings for giving the gelding a look at the track on Tuesday.

“His win is probably better than what it looks because he was on the wrong leg the whole way around the bend and into the straight.

“Caulfield is a tricky track and if they didn’t come here on Tuesday I would have had a bit more of a disagreement with him on the bend, but they covered every base they could and today’s experience and confidence makes him a more seasoned horse here in Victoria.

“He was just very dominant and he’s still got improvement to come.”

Stable representative David Charles also praised Cummings’ forethought.

“He arrived from Sydney in great order and we were very happy with his work here on Tuesday morning,” he said.

“It was a process that James wanted followed, bringing him to Melbourne early and letting him settle in with this race in mind, so we are extremely happy.”

Hartnell will now press on to the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 16.

“Flemington with the big flat track will be a really good step up for him and he’s the right horse for that race for sure,” said Williams.

The seven-year-old has now won 11 of 33 races and over A$4 million in stakes. He began his racing career in the United Kingdom where his five wins included the Listed Queens Vase at Ascot and the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket. In Australia, he has won six stakes races including The BMW and Turnbull Stakes at Group 1 level. He has finished second to Winx on four occasions including the 2016 Cox Plate.

Hartnell is the best performed progeny of Darley’s Derby winning son of Montjeu, Authorized out of the Anabaa mare Debonnaire.

Saturday’s win earned Hartnell 10 points in the NZB Spring WFA Championship with Charmed Harmony (Hussonet) receiving 8 points for finishing second and third placegetter Black Heart Bart (Blackfriars) collecting 6 points, with points awarded back to eighth place.

New Zealand-bred He’s Our Rokkii (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) signaled that he’s on track for his spring targets with an encouraging fourth placing.

The second leg in the NZB Caulfield Spring WFA Championship will be held on September 2 with the running of the A$1,000,000 Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes – the first Group 1 race in Australia for the 2017/18 season.