Justanexcuse Too Good For Northern Sprinters

9 April 2012

Hardy Awapuni sprinter-miler Justanexcuse took his career winning tally into double figures with an outstanding performance at Te Aroha on Saturday.

Under topweight of 59.5kg and on a dry surface, the No Excuse Needed (pictured) 5YO was brought with a perfectly-timed rails run by Kelly Myers to defy his open class rivals.

The WS-bred and sold gelding had been runner-up Green Supreme on his home track at his previous start and went one better, despite the underfoot conditions.

“I thought he would win the other day and he just got beaten,” Latta said. “We thought we’d run here and the rain was supposed to be coming all week and didn’t arrive, but it was a brilliant ride by Kelly.”

A half-brother to the dam of the Gr 1 Queensland Oaks winner Scarlett Lady Justanexcuse was sold by the farm for $105,000 during the Premier session at Karaka in 2008. He has now won 10 races and has earned more than $280,000.

He has rarely been far from the action this preparation with three wins, including the Gr 3 Challenge Stakes, but will now struggle with the handicapper in handicap events.

“He’s been up a long time and is almost at the stage where he’s a weight-for-age horse,” Latta said. “He’s had a fantastic season though and won a lot of money.”

Couples Retreat goes back-to-back for Archibalds

Super Seth’s mare Couples Retreat, bred by Waikato Stud, proved too sharp at Kembla Grange on Saturday, cruising home by two lengths under Mollie Fitzgerald. Purchased for $280,000, she now boasts three wins and three placings from nine starts.

25 October 2025

Cornflower Blue juvenile goes two-from-two

Déjà vu struck at Riccarton as Out Of The Blue, a $60,000 Karaka purchase for David Ellis CNZM, surged home under Opie Bosson to score for Te Akau in the tangerine, another triumph for Waikato Stud breeding.