Swettenham Stud sire Kaphero posted his first winner for the season in style when Tankster scored first-up at Cranbourne on Sunday.

A powerful bay with a prominent white blaze, Tankster made up at least 8 lengths in the straight to collar long-shot Lucky Striker in the Procon Developments Plate (1000m).

Tankster (3g Kaphero – Chartilla by King Charlemagne) is trained by Ray Cleaver for a large group of owners and they cheered the first-timer as he flew home to win by a short-head.  “Ray said he was ready to go on debut,” jockey Michael Walker said.  “Considering it was a Heavy 10, he showed a brilliant turn of foot to pick them up from so far back.”

Tankster is Super VOBIS qualified but he arrived at Cleaver’s Cranbourne stables via New Zealand.

Swettenham clients Todd and Sue Lichti bred and sold Tankster as a foal through the 2011 Inglis Great Southern Sale for $16,000.  He was later pin-hooked by a Kiwi buyer and Cleaver bought him for $28,000 at the 2012 Ready To Run 2YO Sale at Karaka.

“He will keep improving up to a mile on a good track,” Walker said on Sunday.  “He clipped heels and over-raced on the first corner but then got into a lovely rhythm.  I was very impressed with the way he finished with clear running.”

Todd Lichti is a former basketball professional in the USA and Australia and he bred last season’s Melbourne stakes winner Villa Verde (Not A Single Doubt).  He also bred Host winner Extreme Shot and trainer Nick Olive has that gelding ready to salute again later this month.

Lichti is a Kaphero shareholder and he bred Tankster from Chartilla who won her maiden over 1850 metres.  The dam is a half-sister to LR Strutt Stakes winner Galvanized (Rubiton).

Kaphero (Danzero) stands at Swettenham for a $6,600 (inc gst) service fee.

– Karl Patterson