Lightning Strikes Twice for Natuzzi (NZ)

Talented South Island sprinter Natuzzi (NZ) (Coats Choice) dashed to his second consecutive win in the Listed $50,000 Sakhee’s Secret Melbourne Racing Club Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham on Saturday.

Natuzzi (NZ) triumphant in the Listed Sakhee’s Secret Melbourne Racing Club Lightning Handicap. Photo courtesy of Trish Dunell.

Trained by Paul Richards at Wingatui, last year’s Lightning Handicap winner had to carry equal top weight to victory on Saturday. Natuzzi has shown his liking for Trentham, finishing second in the Group 1 Telegraph Handicap earlier this season.

The South Island Sale graduate’s win was also timely for the Sale which he was purchased at with catalogues for the South Island Sale released last week. The Sale will be held on 13 April in a move from the Sale’s traditional selling time in August.

Ridden by Chris Johnson, the five-year-old gelding was eased back from his barrier draw of 8 to find the rails and was able to improve to mid-field in the running over the 1200m sprint.

As the field entered the straight, Johnson was able to pick a passage through on the inside and Natuzzi burst to the lead inside the final 200m, going to the line with his ears pricked for an easy victory by twolengths over Whosyourmaster (NZ) (Captain Rio) with Alleyoop (NZ) (Thorn Park) finishing third.

“It was an impressive win,” commented Richards. “He travelled up in good order and with a bit of luck in the running he was always going to be hard to beat.

“They go hard early at Trentham and that suits his style, he can get off the pace and relax then he has a really good finish.

“His second in the Telegraph proved he is among the top sprinters in New Zealand and probably reiterated that on Saturday.

“He will go to Melbourne at the beginning of April, there are a couple of races at Caulfield we will look at. If he is going really well over there we might take him to Adelaide for the Goodwood on 10 May, which is very exciting.

“He is a great advertisement for the South Island being bred here as well.”

Saturday’s win was the ninth victory from 21 starts for Natuzzi who has earned $211,125 in prizemoney for owners J W & Mrs S D Duell. Natuzzi was purchased at the 2010 South Island Sale for $9,000 from Three Valleys.

Bred by S E & Mrs S J McGiffert, Natuzzi is by Redoute’s Choice’s son Coats Choice and is out of Kilimanjaro mare Monsanto who is a half-sister to Group 1 Castlemaine Stakes winner Chime Zam (Chimes Square).

Coats Choice has 11 yearlings entered in the South Island Session of the National Yearling Sales Series.