Lautaro wins Albury Country Championships qualifier
LAUTARO has upstaged some of his more fancied rivals to score a last stride victory in the Country Championships qualifier at Albury on Sunday.
Trained by Andrew Dale, the five-year-old drifted back to the tail of the field in the early stages, with just three horses behind him at the 800m mark.
Swinging into the home straight the stayer hooked to the outside and started a long run from the back of the field, hitting the lead right on the line to defeat Forever Newyork by a nose over the 1400m trip.
It was the gelding’s first start since finishing down the track at Flemington in November, with Dale relieved to have silenced the knockers.
“They say the good stayers sprint well fresh…I had some people who doubted me started him off first up at 1400m,” he said.
Lautaro has now won seven of his 22 starts with a further six minor placings, with his prize money earnings now in excess of $210,000.
Jockey Nick Souquet was full of praise following the run, believing the son of Don Eduardo and Carluke has a bright future.
“He got stuck a little bit wide going through the first corner but I was in a rhythm and I was following the second horse so I was happy,” Souquet said.
“His work leading up to this has been nothing short of sensational – he has been running black type horse times on the track.
“He gets a little bit keen, but if I can find cover for as long as I can he can run a real good sectional.”
Lautaro, as well as second place getter Forever Newyork, will now progress to the $400,000 Country Championships final which will be run and won at Royal Randwick on April 1.