3 minute read

Biologist has plenty in common with a former top-class stablemate and trainer Gary Alton is starting to think they could also share Group One status.

The progressive Cambridge five-year-old successfully made the step up to black type class at Te Aroha on Saturday when he led all the way to bag the Listed Westbury Stud Karaka Classic.

“It’s a way off yet, but I’d love to have a go at the Thorndon Mile with him,” Alton said.

“He was owned by the guy (Ngai Chan-Hung) who raced Historian, but he didn’t vet well enough to go up to Hong Kong and he ended up giving him to us,” Alton said.

Historian was a Group One performer in New Zealand before he went to Hong Kong where unsoundness issues prevented him from racing.

He returned to New Zealand and Alton nursed him back to full fitness and a Group One win in the Thorndon, which was followed by further top level success in the Zabeel Classic before a tendon injury forced his retirement.

Biologist is now doing his best to fill that void and the Danehill Dancer five-year-old also rewarded the efforts of his new Te Aroha rider Christopher Dell to get down to the carded 53kg.

“We said he could ride him at a half-kilo over, but he got down to the right weight and the horse settled really well for him,” Alton said. “He’s got a high cruising speed and he won well.

“All his races have been a learning curve and he’s only ever had one trial in his life. That was as a two-year-old and he ran third behind Flower Bomb, who’s an open sprinter now, and Addictive Habit.”