Stakes double for stallions

 WS’s stallion power was again underlined at Otaki this afternoon when they made a clean sweep of the headline events. Pins’ son Barbaric struck first when he claimed the Listed Levin Stakes for trainer Stephen Marsh, who then produced the Savabeel three-year-old Lucia Valentina to triumph in the Gr 3 Wellington Stakes.

“We’ve had a good day and got both the features – I’m rapt to do it with two horses really going through the grades,” Marsh said. Lucia Valentina was having just her third start and she is considered a genuine Gr 1 New Zealand Oaks prospect.

“She’s obviously very talented and she should be unbeaten,” Marsh said. “We went out with a plan to ride her a bit cooler and Leith (Innes) rode her beautifully. He got her out and presented her in the middle of the track and she picked up really well. She’s gone 1200 metres, 1400 and now a mile and when she gets to 2000 metres and further she’ll be even better.”

Barbaric also has a Group One summer target ahead of him and he has long being considered a top-flight sprinter by the stable. “He’s definitely a Telegraph horse and that’s where he’s been aimed for a while and now he’s right that is where he’s headed,” Marsh said.