Racing: Flashy colt tears rivals apart

Xtravagant. Photo / File

Stephen Autridge had a "selfie" smile when he watched Xtravagant taking a swim at Matamata yesterday. As if any further evidence was needed, he knew he had the real deal on his hands.

"The other horses we took to Christchurch with him pretty much came back to the stable and he had a week spelling. He's fired up since and they haven't - that's how much of an athlete he is."

It showed when the flashy colt tore apart the opposition in the New Zealand Herald 3YO at Ellerslie on Saturday.

"The box for him previously racing right-handed hadn't been ticked, but I wasn't worried about that," said Autridge.

Xtravagant raced true around the home bend and Matt Cameron later confirmed it. "He was beautiful turning right," he said.

Autridge said after this win he'd like to see Xtravagant ridden in behind the speed, but was grateful that wasn't the intent this time.

"When I saw The Justice League fall and go through the rail I was imagining what might have been if I'd asked Matt to drag him in behind today."

That might not have been as easy as it sounds.

Xtravagant began so brilliantly he put close to two lengths on the others at the end of three strides. Harnessing that to go back in the field would not have been easy.

Momentarily at around the 320m it appeared Xtravagant would do what he did in the 2000 Guineas and race away to demoralise the opposition, but his lack of full fitness and his 59.5kg took their toll and he won by one and a quarter lengths. The colt, as you would expect, had a huge blow when unsaddled.

The next aim is the $225,000 Levin Classic at Trentham next month and Autridge did not rule out the possibility of Xtravagant being ridden behind the speed. "After that race we'll work out the plan backwards from the Australian Guineas."

The Australian 3-year-olds will need to be exceptional. "He's pretty special this horse," Autridge said almost to himself as he walked to the Jockeys' Room.

No one argued.