Dashing frontrunner Greene Street could tackle cup races on both sides of the Tasman after his game all-the-way win in the $60,000 Taranaki Cup.
The Zabeel six-year-old had his rivals in trouble a long way out on Saturday and had enough in reserve in the run home to hold out the strong challenge of Lord Presto by a neck.
Beaujolais ran on well for third, a head back, just in front of the favourite Ismailia, who was handy throughout but only battled over the final stages.
Greene Street had not raced since January.
"It was a tough ask to expect him to win first up, but he was ready," winning rider Robert Hannam said.
"He really dug deep in the straight."
The Taranaki Cup was Hannam's second cup win on the horse in the space of a year.
The 34-year-old Manawatu rider combined to score his career-best win in last year's Hawkes Bay Cup.
The Hastings feature on April 28 would again be on Greene Street's agenda, according to Matthew Eales, who was standing in for his father Noel, who was recovering from a back operation.
"It fits into his programme nicely," Eales jun said.
He said Greene Street may also head to South Australia for the $A300,000 Adelaide Cup in May.
"Dad's talked it over with representatives of the South Australian Jockey Club and is keen on the idea."
Greene Street's time of 2:1.59 was less than a second outside the 2000m track record of 2:0.8 held by Pravda when winning the same race last year.
The horse has now won 10 races from 35 starts and Saturday's $37,500 winner's purse took his total earnings to just over $172,000.
Greene Street was originally owned by former racecaller and bloodstock agent Peter Kelly.
But Eales set up a syndicate to take over the ownership after Kelly died.
The syndicate includes All Black selector Peter Thorburn, Ian Calderwood, Pam Gilmour, Jim Murdoch and Maurice Paykel.
Racing: Greene Street game in Taranaki Cup win
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