KEY POINTS:
Fritzy Boy made a number of punters take him seriously after a clear-cut victory in the $250,000 Group One Mudgway Stakes at Hastings yesterday.
The 4-year-old had an imposing record heading into the event but was not held in the same regard as proven performer Princess Coup. However, someone forgot to tell Fritzy Boy that he was supposed to be intimidated by taking on New Zealand's premier weight-for-age gallopers.
Noel Harris settled Fritzy Boy three deep on the inner then worked his charge off the rail on the home stretch to challenge the leaders.
Fritzy Boy unleashed a blistering sprint to reel in the leaders and defeat Bulginbaah by a length with a further length back to Prince Kaapstad.
Ombre Rose, Keepa Cruisin and Princess Coup made ground solidly at the finish but had no chance of catching the leaders in a dazzling first-up Group One assignment over 1400m.
"I knew he could sprint a bit but in saying that, he still had to come here and show it on raceday," said Fritzy Boy's trainer Alby MacGregor.
"He's proven with this win today that he's a pretty good horse and he's only going to get better as he steps up in distance."
Fritzy Boy has eight wins and three minor placings from 13 starts _ one of those a third behind C'est La Guerre and Nom du Jeu in the New Zealand Derby _ form that stood up well in Sydney during the autumn racing carnival.
Ombre Rose caught the eye, producing a sustained sprint finish down the outer of the track after being slow away at the start.
It was hard to get a line on the performance of Princess Coup as she was slow away and had no chance catching the winner. Princess Coup will only improve with an increase in distance in upcoming assignments.
Prince Kaapstad was gallant in defeat sitting outside the tearaway leader Insouciant and was a sitting duck for challengers in the home stretch and they came quickly over the closing 100m.
The brilliance of leading jockey Opie Bosson was underlined when in-form race mare Katy Keen scored a determined victory in the $45,000 Open Handicap.
Bosson punched Katy Keen forward at the start to lock Capecover out three wide and made the favourite work hard to secure a sit outside the leader. He timed his challenge to perfection in the home stretch powering to the lead and holding out the fast-finishing Samurai by a short neck with a further length back to Capecover.
Katy Keen will now be set for the headliner $2 million Kelt Capital Stakes on October 4, the third day of the Hawke's Bay carnival, but will have a change of rider.
Bosson has committed to riding Princess Coup in New Zealand's premier weight-for-age event.
Katy Keen's trainer Stuart Manning will now be inundated by phone calls from jockeys chasing the ride on the outstanding race mare.
Karen Zimmerman travelled first starter The Black Oak to Hastings in search of better track conditions and got a pleasant surprise when the 4-year-old scored a stylish victory.
The Otaki-based trainer has a high opinion of the showy son of Pentire but admitted she would have being happy with a top six finish.
Leading apprentice James McDonald settled The Black Oak at the back of the field and hooked his charge to the outside on the home turn to chase the leaders.
The Black Oak produced a stunning sprint down the outer to score by a short neck over topweight Ima Akbar with half a head back to Spontaneous.
Zimmerman could not hide her delight after the race.
"I do have a high opinion of this horse but I only really came here to get him onto the better tracks as we've had dreadful weather. He's certainly got an exciting future ahead of him."
