Perth stayer Guyno proved he is far from a spent force with a last-stride victory in the $300,000 Listed Mornington Cup on Wednesday. The NZ bred gelding was posted three wide without cover in transit but kept digging to run down Cedarberg (Helenus) by a nose.
Guyno (7g O’Reilly – River Century by Centaine) gained a Caulfield Cup exemption in addition to the $180,000 first prizemoney, however, trainer Lou Luciani was non-committal about running in the Melbourne Racing Club’s flagship race in October. “I don’t know if we’ll be there,” he said. “We’ll worry about that in the spring.
The tough as teak stayer was coming of a second to Guest Wing in the G2 Perth Cup on New Year’s Day and will now be set for the G2 Adelaide Cup on March 14. In a career spanning 49 starts, he has earned over $1.23 million headed by the 2007 G1 WA Derby and 2009 G2 Perth Cup.
“He’s been everywhere and if he was a hand taller he’d carry the weights and would have doubled his stakes earnings,” Luciani added. “He’s just a tough little horse, he’s my mate and he just doesn’t let you down. He’s sound as a bell and while he’s racing like this we’ll keep going.”
Guyno was bred by Waikato Stud and was passed-in for $40,000 at the 2005 NZB Karaka Premier Sale. His dam River Century was named 2007 NZ Broodmare of the Year. She has foaled four winners including Pins filly Legs who was a G1 winner of the Kelt Capital Stakes and New Zealand Oaks.