The son of Proisir has been a group 1 horse since his 2-year-old days.
He was a listed winner as a 3-year-old, and had placings in the group 2 Auckland Guineas and Avondale Guineas (2100m) along with a fifth in the group 1 New Zealand Derby.
Waitak has since cemented his reputation as one of New Zealand’s most versatile weight-for-age performers.
He flew home from nowhere to win the group 1 Sistema Railway at Pukekohe as a 4-year-old, and after a frustrating run of bad luck for most of his 5-year-old season last summer, got back into the winning groove with an autumn double in the group 2 Japan Trophy and Awapuni Gold Cup.
Waitak has picked up this spring where he left off in the autumn.
After a luckless 11th when he resumed in the group 1 Proisir Plate, he has now gone back-to-back in the group 1 mile at Te Rapa and the $550,000 Livamol Classic.
"He really deserves this," Andrew Scott, who trains in partnership with Lance O’Sullivan, said.
"He was so unlucky last season with unsuitable track conditions and the way his races were being run. Today was just beautiful. He really showed what he can do."
Again ridden by Craig Grylls, Waitak settled into a perfect position in fifth place and all by himself as Khan Hunter showed the way through the first half of the race.
Ellerslie specialist El Vencedor threw down the gauntlet and surged into a clear lead coming down the side of the track, but Grylls never panicked. He gave Waitak all the time he needed to warm into his work then set his sights on El Vencedor in the straight.
A four-length deficit was quickly dissolved and Waitak powered into the lead. He bounded away to win by five and a-quarter lengths. El Vencedor finished second, a length and a-quarter in front of Sharp ‘N’ Smart.
It was the 20th win at Group 1 level for Grylls.
"Any group 1 win is great, but this is special," Grylls said.
"This horse is just a marvel and it was an incredible win today. He’s taken a lot of improvement out of his last-start win at Te Rapa.
"The speed was on from the 600m and I had to get on my bike a little bit earlier than I might have expected, but he quickened so well. He got up alongside El Vencedor, then changed legs, quickened again and got away from him." — LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
By Richard Edmunds
