Hasabro (NZ) Heads NZB Trifecta in White Robe Lodge

Racing at the peak of his powers as a six-year-old this season, the high-class Hasabro (NZ) (Savabeel) headed an all-New Zealand Bloodstock trifecta in Saturday’s $100,000 Group Three White Robe Lodge (1600m) at Wingatui. 

Bought for $220,000 by Go Racing from the 2017 Premier Sale, Hasabro has now had 37 starts for eight wins, 11 placings and $252,208 in stakes. Runner-up He’s Got Power (NZ) (Power) cost just $10,000 from Book 3 of Karaka 2018 and has earned $206,040, while third-placed Exchange (NZ) (Ghibellines) was a $17,000 purchase from the 2018 South Island Sale with earnings of $76,454.

Waikato Stud graduate Hasabro is a full-brother to Group One winner Hasahalo (NZ) (Savabeel) and a half-brother to Group Three stars All Saints’ Eve (NZ) (Sacred Falls) and All Hallows’ Eve (NZ) (Sacred Falls). Hasabro has been held in high regard from the start, sent to Australia for a Victoria Derby (2500m) campaign as a three-year-old, but it has been as an older horse that the son of champion sire Savabeel has found his groove for owners Go Racing.

The gelding has recorded half of his eight career victories in just this season alone, winning four of his seven starts since September. That includes the first two stakes successes of his career, in the Listed Hazlett Stakes (1200m) on Boxing Day and now the White Robe Lodge.

Hasabro was sent out as a $1.90 favourite at Wingatui on Saturday, but he made his job much harder with a very slow start. Rider Jacob Lowry managed to make up that lost ground and have his mount looming ominously just behind the leaders coming up to the home turn, and then he let him rip down the outside in the straight.

Despite some waywardness early in the run home, the Andrew Carston-trained Hasabro powered past his opposition and went clear to score by a length and a half, with a bit more up his sleeve.

“He was hugely impressive,” Go Racing manager Albert Bosma said. “To be fair, considering the weight-for-age conditions and how well off he was at the weights, the race did look like it was at his mercy. But it was a big thrill to see him win the way he did. It was a very good performance after missing the start quite badly, and he also raced greenly in the straight. To still clear out and win so easily was very impressive.

“He’s racing better now, as a six-year-old, than he ever has. Back when he was a three-year-old, we took him to Australia to try to qualify for the Victoria Derby and it didn’t quite work out, and that trip might have taken a bit out of him.

“But he started to come good towards the end of last season, running second in the Gr.2 Easter Handicap (1600m) and bolting in at New Plymouth, and he’s just carried on from there. Over the last 12 months or so, he’s really come into his own and started to produce the best performances of his career.”