Validation dominates in Invercargill Group 3

By Jonny Turner

Validation showed she’s a star of the racetrack rather than the sales ring with her big win in the Group 3 Caduceus Club of Southland Alabar Fillies Classic.

The youngster turned New Zealand’s first Group race of the year for two-year-old fillies into a one-act affair at Ascot Park, charging away to score by eight lengths for driver Craig Ferguson.

Validation wasn’t hot property in the sales ring as a yearling last year, being passed in just as her full brother Incentivise was the year prior.

But both have made their mark on the track after being progressed by breeder Sam Langrope, trainer Ross Houghton, and owners Robert and Kerry Famularo and Keith and Lisa Sumner.

For Validation, it wasn’t long after she was passed in in the sales ring that she started showing promise.

“From day one when I broke her in after the sales, she had a lovely gait and lovely manners,” Houghton said.

“Out of her and the full brother Incentivise she probably has the better gait of the two of them, she’s just lovely.”

Houghton is well known for his skill at breaking in horses, but in recent seasons he has stepped out more young stock at the races from his stable with strong results.

That success culminated in the trainer winning his first Group event at Ascot Park on Sunday.

“It is exciting, it is the unknown,” Houghton said.

“It is just getting young horses going and seeing them do it on the track, it is quite satisfying.”

“It is just nice to have good young stock and well-bred young stock.”

“She has been a pleasure to do anything with since day one.”

Houghton aimed Validation at the Group 3 Caduceus Club of Southland Alabar Fillies Classic, giving her a start at Addington to prepare.

That immediately gave the filly an advantage over all of her rivals, who were on debut. 

“Her first start under lights, it was the last race that night and she learnt a lot from that and has come on leaps and bounds since that run.”

Validation led easily from barrier 1 for Ferguson, putting her well out of a minor skirmish on the first bend.

After holding off a mid-race attack for the lead, the filly cleared out for a big win.

Canterbury raiders made it two-from-two in Sunday’s Group races when Vessem won the Macca Lodge Northern Southland Cup.

The pacer was patiently handled in a hectic affair by driver Olivia Thornley and had the last say with a sweeping late finish.

The victory took Vessem’s record at Ascot Park to two starts for two wins, both in Group events.

The five-year-old previously won the Diamond Creek Farm Classic for two-year-olds in 2023.