The Intimidator All the Way in Mufhasa Stakes

Karaka graduate The Intimidator (Toronado) secured his first black-type win with a determined front-running performance in Saturday’s $80,000 Listed Vertical Logistics Mufhasa Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa.

The Intimidator was offered by Inglewood Stud at Karaka 2021, where Stuart Hale secured him for $160,000. His seven-start career has now produced three wins, three placings and $129,790 in stakes for owners Alistair Sutherland, Barry Mathews, Mark Ryan, Darrin Collett and Tony Martin.

The gelding had already proven himself against some of the best of his generation, finishing second in the Group Three Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), third in the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) and a last-start fifth in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) in late January.

The Intimidator was then freshened by trainer Andrew Forsman, who brought him back to the races at Te Rapa on Saturday and was hoping to see him settle off the pace ahead of a potential Group One assignment in the Levin Classic (1600m) on March 18. But that plan quickly went out the window for jockey Wiremu Pinn.

The Intimidator broke sharply from the starting gates, and with no other runners keen to take up the lead, Pinn rolled forward to control the race from the front.

Challengers lined up to take a shot at him down the straight, but The Intimidator dug deep to hold them all out in a tight finish.

“Wiremu knows the horse well, he’s always been a big fan of the horse and he was very keen to stick with him,” Forsman said. “Things didn’t really pan out the way we wanted today, but he took the bull by the horns, controlled the race and a lot of credit should go to him.

“He (The Intimidator) got around to the barriers and started to have a bit of a think. He stood there for a while and then came out really fresh and led, which wasn’t the plan – we wanted to ride him with a bit of cover.

“We thought he was a big chance going to Trentham over the mile in a couple of weeks, but Wiremu didn’t really have a choice but to put him in front. He cuddled him up as best he could and he fought really hard.

“The horse has heaps of ability, and I’m going to love the day he finally figures it all out. One day he will draw well, take a sit in behind them and we will see the best of him.”