Karaka Graduate Sampson (NZ) Claims Trentham Stakes

With a dominant win in Saturday’s $70,000 Group 3 Mills Reef Winery Trentham Stakes (2100m), Sampson (NZ) (Dubai Destination) boosted his career prize-money earnings to more than 10 times what he cost at the 2011 Festival Sale.

Purchased by Mr PE & Mrs N Izett for $20,000 at Karaka, Sampson has turned out to be an outstanding buy with eight wins and more than $205,000 in prize-money to his name.

Saturday’s Trentham Stakes was a new career pinnacle, a first black-type win to sit alongside his placings in the Group 2 Wellington Cup (3200m) and Group 3 Manawatu Cup (2300m).

Ridden by Reese Jones for trainer Howie Mathews, the seven-year-old charged home from midfield and sprinted clear in the straight to win by a length and a half.

“This is amazing, it’s like a fairy tale,” Mathews said. “Lorraine part-owns the horse and rides him every morning. We’ve always had faith in him. We’re ecstatic.”

The result also provided a significant pedigree update for the upcoming Premier Sale, with Wentwood Grange offering an Ocean Park half-brother to the Trentham Stakes win. He will be offered as Lot 269.