Madison County (NZ) Hugely Impressive in Guineas

Madison County (NZ) (Pins), a Karaka graduate from the draft of race sponsors Waikato Stud, scored an outstanding victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Group 2 Sacred Falls Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings.

Madison County was bred by Waikato Stud’s Garry Chittick and went through the ring in the 2017 Select Sale, selling for $36,000 to high-profile international owners the China Horse Club.

He had a win and two placings in his first three career starts, including a fast-finishing second in the Group 3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), and on Saturday he went to a new level.

Ridden by Matt Cameron for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Madison County came from fourth-last with an explosive finishing burst. He sprinted past his Northland Breeders’ Stakes conqueror Melt(NZ) (Iffraaj) and won by three-quarters of a length.

“He’s a beautiful horse and I’m very excited about his future,” the China Horse Club’s Michael Wallace said. “That was some performance today.

“Murray and Andrew have always held him in very high regard, and today we saw something pretty impressive.”

With two wins and two placings to his name from just four starts, Madison County has earned $92,810 in prize-money – more than two and a half times his purchase price.