Almanzor’s son a match winner

Patiently handled five-year-old First Five touched down on his home track at Te Rapa with sizzling victory in the G3 J Swap Sprint.

He became our resident stallion Almanzor’s 28th individual stakes winner when he blew away a highly competitive line-up over 1400 metres to progress his record to six victories and five placings from 18 outings.

Trainer David Green is confident his representative can now make his mark at the highest level.

“I can’t say this was unexpected and he’s stamped himself as a future Group 1 contender,” he said.

“We may drop him back to the 1200 metres of the Telegraph, that’s always a hard run 1200 and then back here for the big one (G1 BCD Group Sprint, 1400m).

“As good as his form has been, you haven’t seen the best of him yet.”

First Five settled midfield on the fence before angling into the clear before the turn and the gelding left a quality field in his wake in the run to the post, coasting home by 1.8l.

“He’s really explosive this horse, the gaps came for me and he’s a genuine Group 1 horse,” successful rider Lynsey Satherley said.

Bred by part-owner Gerald Shand, First Five is out of the multiple-winning Volksraad mare Payette who was successful on six occasions up to 1300 metres.

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