Trainer Andrew Carston has held a high opinion of three-year-old gelding Mogul for some time and that faith reaped its reward at Riccarton on Thursday.
Mogul, whose previous seven runs included a fourth in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) in October, had been gelded since his last start which Carston said had proved a wise move.
The son of Rubick jumped from barrier 15 of 16 in the Vale Paul Harris Maiden (1200m) with jockey Kozzi Asano settling second from the rear.
Turning for home the field fanned out and Asano opted to stick to the middle of the track, managing to keep Mogul’s mind on the job and finish strongly to win by a half neck.
“He has run some handy races and I’ve held him in high regard for a while now,” Carston said.
“He’s been gelded so I wasn’t too surprised to see the improvement and it’s great to get that win on the board for Beaufort Downs.”
“He’ll train on from here and will be looking for a bit further I think.”
Carston is eyeing a tilt at the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1500m) with Mogul which will be run on the third of February.