Star New Zealander Mufhasa has taken his Group One tally to eight with victory in the Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham.
The winner of the Toorak Handicap during the Melbourne Spring carnival, Mufhasa was surprisingly beaten in a Group Three race at Tauranga last month.
But there were few concerns on Saturday with Sam Spratt positioning him outside early leader Bragato.
At the top of the straight, Mufhasa asserted his authority on the race, striding to the front and finishing strongly to beat Vonusti by 1-1/4 lengths.
“It takes a really good horse to win eight Group Ones,” trainer Stephen McKee said.
“We will try to get him to ten. That’s the mission.”
McKee said Mufhasa could go back from 1600 metres to the 1200 of the Group One Telegraph Handicap at Trentham in January.
“He will be nominated for the Telegraph,” he said.
“He is heading to the Waikato Draught Stakes and has to run before that.”
Mufhasa won the Telegraph in 2009 and again this year.
AAP TURF
