Whobegotyou Takes Championship Lead

Whobegotyou Takes Championship Lead

It's first blood to Whobegotyou in the inaugural NZB Caulfield Spring WFA Championship with a big finish in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.

Sending out a warning to his Cox Plate rivals, the Mark Kavanagh trained Whobegotyou (Street Cry x Temple Of Peace) rewarded his followers with his customary big race finish in the first leg of New Zealand Bloodstock's 2011 Caulfield Spring Weight-for-Age Championship. With jockey Damien Oliver aboard, Whobegotyou ran down the game Lights of Heaven (Zabeel) with Prince Obama (Clangalang) back in third.

Finishing second in this race to Predatory Pricer back in 2009, the win by the six-year-old son of Street Cry was his first fresh up since his debut win on the track back in May of 2008, and his first career victory over the 1400 metre trip.

Whobegotyou copy
Whobegotyou surges clear in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes
Whobegotyou is currently a $7 favourite for the Group 1 Cox Plate and his trainer Mark Kavanagh will now aim the horse at the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Mooney Valley on September 10, a course that the six-year-old has built a formidable record on during his career.

Kavanagh is not ruling out a return to Caulfield and the Spring WFA Championship with the Group 1 Underwood Stakes and Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (formally known as the Yalumba Stakes) also on the cards.

The Peter Moody trained Lights of Heaven, who was heavily backed by punters in the hours leading up to the race, came into as short as $1.90 in the market before starting favourite on the tote at $2.10. She didn't get all favours in the running, being held up in the straight, but showed that she is without doubt a heavy-weight spring contender.

The current $7.50 favourite for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup, the four-year-old daughter of Zabeel lost no fans with her performance and certainly will take improvement from the race.

The first leg of New Zealand Bloodstock's 2011 Caulfield Spring Weight-for-Age Championship, the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) sees 10 points awarded to Whobegotyou who takes the early series lead. For the current Championship standings, see the table below.

The next race in the Spring Weight-for-Age Championship, the Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m), will be held on August 27.

Horse

Points

Whobegotyou (Street Cry x Temple Of Peace)

10

Lights of Heaven (Zabeel x I'm in Heaven)

8

Prince Obama (Clangalang x Angelika)

6

Vesper (Zabeel x Sylvaner)

4

Time Matters (Gilded Time x Maat)

3

Cellarmaster (Dubawi x Oenology)

1

Jungle Ruler (Lion Hunter x Calista)

1

Guest Wing (Right Wing x Lacienne)

ends

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