Justacanta (NZ) Flashes Home in Flemington Feature

Bought for just $11,000 at Karaka back in 2014, Justacanta (NZ) (Per Incanto) stepped up on to the big stage on Saturday with blacktype success during the world-renowned Melbourne spring racing carnival. 

The under-rated eight-year-old triumphed in the A$175,000 Listed McGregor Portables Paris Lane Stakes (1400m) at Flemington, and he has now had 50 starts for seven wins, 20 placings and more than $269,000 in stakes.

Justacanta has earned over 24 times his purchase price at the 2014 National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka seven years ago, and his current ownership group paid just $6000 to buy him through New Zealand Bloodstock’s online subsidiary Gavelhouse in 2019.

The Paris Lane Stakes was the first black-type win for Justacanta, who had previously been runner-up in the Group Three Concorde Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie, as well as finishing within four lengths of the winner in the Group One Railway (1200m), Group Three King’s Plate (1200m) and two editions of the Listed Counties Bowl (1100m).

Transferred from Shaun and Emma Clotworthy into the Victorian stable of Patrick Payne this spring, Justacanta was an eye-catching sixth in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1300m) at Sandown a week ago.

Backing up at Flemington seven days later, he unleashed a withering finish from midfield to score impressively by half a length – pocketing A$105,000 in stakes within the space of a minute and 24 seconds.

“He landed in a nice spot, travelled really well and just needed an out,” jockey Dean Yendall said. “When he got that, he really found the line strongly towards the end – a really nice win.”