Progressive four-year-old Rudyard (Charm Spirit) has been in outstanding form this preparation and he overcame a
horror gate at Ellerslie on Saturday afternoon to add to his record.

The Tony Pike-trained son of Charm Spirit had to contend with the outside barrier in his open class debut over 1500 metres but quickly allayed any fears that might get the better of him.

“He just keeps improving and once I found the front, I was pretty confident it was game over,” successful rider Sam Weatherley said.

A $280,000 graduate of Windsor Park Stud’s 2021 Karaka Book 1 draft, Rudyard was quickly into stride to cross the field to lead and, after forging clear at the top of the straight, he held a strong gallop to have a length and a-half on his closest rival.

“I left it completely up to Sam, he’s a pretty versatile horse,” Pike said.

“He’s deep into his preparation and was rock hard fit, he’s gone to another level this time in.”

Bred by the Estate of Laurence Redshaw and Geoff Candy, Rudyard has now won five times up to 1600m with numerous placings including a gallant last start effort when finishing third behind top-liners Desert Lightning and Legarto in last month’s Aotearoa Classic.

“He went the race of his life of life, it was a super performance,” Pike said.

“The Easter Handicap (G3, 1600m) might be a nice race for him, I’ll look at the programs and work our way forward.”

Windsor Park Stud Karaka Book 1 yearling graduate Rudyard 

Rudyard is a son of Savabeel’s multiple Group 2-winning daughter Lady Kipling who is also dam of Rudyard’s Melbourne Gr. 2 winning sister Fascino.

Lady Kipling has a Circus Maximus (Galileo) filly at foot and is in foal to Deep Impact’s Gr.1-winning son Profondo, who served a full book of mares in 2023 at Windsor Park Stud in his first season at stud.