Sagunto (NZ) Captures Third Manawatu Cup

Karaka graduate Sagunto (NZ) (O’Reilly) joined an exclusive club on Saturday with his third victory in the $120,000 Group Three Humphries Construction Manawatu Cup (2300m) at Trentham.

Having previously won the race in 2022 and 2023, Sagunto became only the second three-time winner of the Manawatu Cup, which has been run since 1892. The other three-time winner was Robin’s Reward (Robin Goodfellow) in 1948, 1949 and 1950.

Sagunto was a $120,000 purchase at the 2017 Premier Sale at Karaka, where he was offered by breeders Waikato Stud. He was bought by owners Peter and Kim McKay, and Peter McKay trains the remarkable gelding in partnership with their son Shaun.

Sagunto has now had 77 starts for 10 wins, 19 placings and $486,521 in stakes – more than four times his purchase price.

Saturday was in fact Sagunto’s fourth attempt at the Manawatu Cup. He won it by a length and three-quarters in 2022 and by six lengths in 2023, then was below his best when ninth last year.

He made amends in style on Saturday, again with the bold front-running tactics that carried him to his 2022 and 2023 successes. He opened up a clear lead going down the back of the track, then kicked again off the home turn to throw down an almighty challenge to his chasers.

Freddie Time (NZ) (Time Test) emerged as the biggest danger, flashing up alongside him in the final 50 metres, but Sagunto stubbornly refused to let him past. He summoned another effort and clung on to win by a nose.

“He is a horse that has been around, has his own racing pattern and is fit enough to do the job he wants to do,” winning jockey Sam Collett said. “Today it was just a matter of me making sure he was going quick enough, breathing well, but making sure he had enough for the end.

“I can’t take any credit. I just sat there and put him on autopilot. He knows what he is doing.

“It’s a credit to the team – he’s 10 years old, but you wouldn’t think that at all.”

The Manawatu Cup treble was a proud moment for the McKay family.

“We’re proud of him,” Peter McKay said. “Last year things didn’t go quite right for him as he had a bit of an issue with a tendon.

“He has come back this year and it has been hard work trying to find the right tracks and races for him, but we were really happy when he ran third at Wanganui two starts ago.

“He just loves it here at Trentham, and to win this race again is really good.

“I said to Sam that she needed to take the reins away and hold on to his mane – that’s the way you have to ride him. He will find his own gears and he knows what he is doing. If you try to rate him, he doesn’t finish off. Shaun found that out, and the other day after trackwork, he came in and said, ‘Wow, he is ready.’

“For him to win this race three times, we’re really proud.”

Vendor	Waikato Stud Ltd
Purchaser	Mr PN & Mrs K McKay (Matamata)
Breeding	O’Reilly – Queen Sabeel
Sale	Lot 362, 2017 Premier Sale, $120,000
Breeder	Waikato Stud Ltd
Owner	Kim & Peter McKay