Danica Guy should try turning water into wine. The Matamata trainer has only six horses in racing trim but has had extraordinary run this term. After harvesting the big sprint races with In Style and Tomorrowland, Guy produced the maiden Gaultier to win the $240,000 Group I Levin Classic at Trentham.
It came less than three weeks after Guy had won the Group I Railway Stakes at Ellerslie with In Style.
Guy has always had faith in Gaultier but, unsurprisingly, few punters were optimistic about his prospects yesterday and he was the eighth favourite in a nine-horse field, paying $31-1 for the win. Owner Leighton Howl had $1000 on at $31-1 as well as a few hundred more on the earlier futures at $81-1.
He had managed just one placing in four starts in maiden company, prompting Guy to geld the horse on December 30.
"We had to do something," Guy said. "We knew he had the ability but he wasn't concentrating and was doing everything wrong.
"But I still can't believe this. We didn't bring him down for nothing and we did give him a chance but for him to put it a together on a big day like this - it's a dream come true."
Guy rated the Levin Classic victory as the high point of her career, as she also races the Rios three-year-old.
Guy and her mother, Gayle, have a 75 per cent share, with stable client Leighton Howl the other 25% shareholder. Howl had pin-hooked a Mastercraftsman colt at the Ready to Run Sale, selling for $140,000, and afterwards they went and looked at a few of the passed in LOTS, paying $17,500 for Gaultier.
Guy will now set Gaultier for the $750,000 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on Februray 28.
"I've always thought he was a Derby horse. He just wants to stay and go further and it was a huge effort over 1600m today."
Gaultier, who earned $140,625 today, after returning $1,100 from his four previous starts, will make his middle distance debut in the Waikato Guineas on January 31.
He was ridden today by Michael Coleman who was having his first ride on the horse. "I had ridden him in trackwork a couple of times and knew he could gallop," Coleman said. "It might look odd when a maiden knocks off a couple of pretty hot horses but it's not going to be his last win. He's got a future."
Gaultier came from last and beat favourite Sardaaj by a head, with Huka Eagle wilting a shade to third.
