Saturday’s G1 Waikato Draught Sprint was billed as a match race between Mufhasa and Guiseppina but Veyon rewrote the script with a gutsy display at Te Rapa.

Mufhasa (Pentire) was aiming for his third win in the Waikato Draught Sprint and his ninth at G1 level and Guiseppina (Johar) was looking to frank her Group 1 form.  Veyron went into the race fresh having last raced over 2000 metres on Boxing Day when runner-up to Shez Sinsational in the Zabeel Classic.

“Mufhasa was the horse to beat and I tracked him up got across his heels and from there it was a two horse race,” in-form jockey Leith Innes said.  “That’s exactly how it panned out.”

Mufhasa took over when they straightened and was soon challenged by Veyron who loomed up past the furlong.  The Steve McKee trained champion was as game as ever but Veyron gradually drew clear to score by three-quarters of a length.  

The time was a cracking 1.20.99s which is just outside the record of 1.20.42s held by Dopff (Tights).  It was his second Group 1 victory following the 2011 Easter Handicap over 1600 metres.

Veyron (Thorn Park) is trained by Linda Laing for owner-breeders Isabel and Alistaire Barker and he is out of the Centro mare Over The Limit.  Second dam Limitless (Diamante D) won a Brisbane Cup when trained by Linda Laing’s father Royce Dowling.

Linda Laing was joined on Saturday by her sons Ryan and Danny and said it was very special to win a G1 race at Te Rapa as she had spent most of her childhood on the track when her father was based there as a trainer.