Mufhasa is on target for a double-figure Group 1 haul after moving a step closer in the Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham on Saturday.
Mufhasa (7g Pentire – Sheila Cheval by Mi Preferido) took his Group 1 tally to 8 with an emphatic victory in the Captain Cook over 1600m. Managing part-owner David Archer and trainer Stephen McKee believe he’s just racing as well as ever for a seven year-old.
“I said to David after the Toorak that we would try and get to 10 Group 1 wins,” McKee said. “He will have a couple of weeks off and then definitely run in the Waikato Draught and we’ll certainly be looking at the Telegraph again.”
Mufhasa was untroubled to add the Captain Cook to his two Telegraph Handicaps, two Waikato Draught Sprints, Otaki Fairdale Classic, Makfi Stakes and an Australian first as (King) Mufhasa in the 2011 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield under top weight of 58kg.
A former NZ Horse of the Year and current holder of the champion sprinter title, Mufhasa was bought out of Rich Hill Stud’s Select Sale draft in 2006 for $50,000. His Trentham victory took his career earnings to more than $2.73 million for David, Simon and Natalie Archer along David’s partner Di Wright.
“He’s an awesome horse and showed his true colours,” regular rider Spratt said. “Turning for home and I was swinging on him and didn’t want to go too soon. He took a stride or two to sprint with the weight but he did it really well.”
Rich Hill resident Pentire is the sire of 10 Group 1 winners – Mufhasa, Xcellent, Zarita, Recurring, Penny Gem, Pentane, Pantani, Sir Pentire, Markus Maximus and Resolution.
Pentire remains a chance of filling out a First X1 after connections of He’s Remarkable took formal steps to win back the G1 Railway Stakes. A meeting between trainer Roger James and the stallion’s owners has resulted in an appeal application with Perth authorities.
He’s Remarkable won and then lost the Group 1 Mile when stewards upheld a highly controversial protest from second placegetter Luckygray. The Racing Tribunal in Western Australia will hear the case, a date has yet to be announced, to decide whether an appeal is justified.
Besides the $1 million prizemoney, the loss of an Australian Group 1 has a huge bearing on any future stud plans. It’s value is estimated in the vicinity of $4 to $5 million.
MUFHASA
Captain Cook Stakes takes his Group 1 tally to eight