Sampson (NZ) Spectacular in St Leger

Multiple stakes-winning Karaka graduate Sampson (NZ) (Dubai Destination) produced another top-class performance at Trentham on Saturday, winning the Listed Yealands Family Wines New Zealand St Leger (2600m) by eight and a quarter lengths.

Bought for just $20,000 at the 2011 Festival Sale, the nine-year-old is now the winner of four black-type races and $437,075 in prizemoney.

Ridden on Saturday by Johnathan Parkes, Sampson was in the back half of the field in the early part of the race but made a bold move forward to take the lead when the pace slowed down the back straight.

Sampson was utterly dominant from that point on, romping to victory by a huge margin as the Trentham crowd applauded.

“I wasn’t happy with the pace down the back of the straight, so I decided to just let him roll forward and he dominated the race from there,” Parkes said. “He was just too good today. I had to keep looking back to see how far I was in front by.”

Sampson is trained by Howie Mathews, whose wife Lorraine shares ownership with good friend Janice Street.

“It’s amazing,” Howie Mathews said. “We’re gobsmacked. We haven’t really had a winner as easy as that before. He’s a horse who’s close to our heart. He’s fantastic. He’s an everyday mate, he’s always there.”

Sampson’s previous stakes wins came in the Group 2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) and Group 3 Trentham Stakes (2100m), both in 2017, as well as this year’s Listed Marton Cup (2200m).