Lupo Solitario (NZ) Back on Top in Easter Handicap

Former high-class three-year-old Lupo Solitario (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) stepped back on to the big stage at Ellerslie on Saturday with a Group Three Manco Easter Handicap (1600m) triumph.

The time-honoured $150,000 feature was the fifth win of a 17-race career for Lupo Solitario, who has earned $302,468. He was offered by his breeders Rich Hill Stud in Book 2 of Karaka 2022, where Leighton Howl bought him for $82,500.

Trained at Matamata by Danica Guy, Lupo Solitario burst on the scene two seasons ago with three wins including the Group Three Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), in which he beat the subsequent multiple Group One winner Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel). He also ran second on another two occasions including in the Group Two Sarten Memorial (1400m).

Those performances attracted attention from offshore, and Lupo Solitario was sold to Hong Kong. He failed to show his best form in seven starts there, which included a fall, and he was plagued by foot trouble. His Hong Kong owner gifted the gelding back to Guy, who has nursed him back to full health and back to his very best form.

Guy’s efforts were richly rewarded in Saturday’s Easter Handicap, which has been a key fixture on the Ellerslie calendar since 1874.

Ridden by Wiremu Pinn, Lupo Solitario settled in fourth, one off the rail, before pouncing at the top of the home straight. He charged to the lead and took command, then fought hard in the final 100 metres to hold out the strong-finishing Top Shelf (NZ) (Savabeel) by a head.

“He was really good,” Pinn said. “He usually likes to get back and run home, but we wanted to be a bit more positive today and it paid off. He was a little green and toyed with them a bit late, but I felt like there was a lot more there if I needed it.”

Guy took special satisfaction from Lupo Solitario’s return to stakes-winning form.

“That was wonderful,” she said. “I thought the track might be wetter than he’d like, so we decided to go to Plan B and ride him a bit more forward. He’s just such an honest and tough horse. He’s a proper racehorse.

“I’m so grateful to the Hong Kong owner for sending him back here and allowing me to be in this position with him. We all love him and we’re so lucky to have him in the stable.

“He was in a bad way when he came back from Hong Kong. A lot of work has gone into him, particularly with his feet, to get him back to where he is now.

“I think that might be it for him this season now. We can bring him back for Hawke’s Bay in the spring.”

Vendor	Rich Hill Stud
Purchaser	Mr LJ Howl (Auckland)
Breeding	Satono Aladdin – She’s Aloof
Sale	Lot 1054, Karaka 2022 Book 2, $82,500
Breeder	Rich Hill Thoroughbreds Ltd
Owner	Danica Guy, Gayle Guy & Glen Guy