Poetic Champion (NZ) Makes Statement in Spring Debut

Classy Karaka graduate Poetic Champion (NZ) (Super Seth) appears to have made giant strides between the ages of two and three, starting his new campaign on a perfect note in the $90,000 Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday.

Retained by his breeder Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock after failing to meet his $80,000 reserve at Karaka 2023, Poetic Champion has had seven starts for two wins, three placings and $152,150 in stakes.

The chestnut showed bright promise as a two-year-old last season. He won by six lengths on debut last October before finishing third in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m), second in the Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m), sixth in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), second in the Group Three Matamata Slipper (1200m) and sixth in the Group One Sistema Stakes (1200m).

Poetic Champion’s resuming run on Saturday came only eight days after winning a trial on the Cambridge synthetic track, but he brought his A-game to Hawke’s Bay and made an early-season statement with a powerful front-running win.

Driven forward from his inside gate by jockey Matt Cartwright, Poetic Champion dictated terms in front and then kicked clear at the home turn. The result was in no doubt from there as Poetic Champion dashed down the straight to score by two and a quarter lengths from the fast-finishing fellow Karaka graduate Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel).

“We just had a couple of little niggly issues with this horse towards the end of his two-year-old season,” trainer Tony Pike said. “We’ve put those behind us now and he’s come back in great order.

“I was a little worried that we had a short run-up into this resuming run, only trialling at Cambridge eight days ago. But Matt rode him beautifully in front and got a soft lead. He’s just a really genuine racehorse and I’m rapt to see him back in winning form.

“He’s bred and owned by Jonathan Munz, who also owned Super Seth, so it’s great to get him a stakes win with one of Super Seth’s progeny.”

Poetic Champion’s performance made a big impression on his jockey.

“That was lovely,” Cartwright said. “He jumped cleanly. There was a bit of pressure early, but I didn’t want to give the lead up. He half stargazed out in front, but then he was quite explosive after straightening up.

“I thought he might be a bit underdone coming into this race, but Tony Pike is a legend at getting horses right on the day and he’s done that today.”

Vendor	Haunui Farm
Purchaser
Breeding	Super Seth – Regally Blonde
Sale	Lot 462, Karaka 2023 Book 1, Psd (Res $80,000)
Bred by	GSA Bloodstock Pty Ltd