Written by Paul Vettise
Stakes winner Raw Impulse (GB) (Makfi {GB}) will reverse a trend when he boards a plane on Wednesday evening.
While the horse traffic invariably goes in the opposite direction, the Darren Weir-trained 6-year-old is bound for New Zealand where he is expected to find conditions more in his favour.
“He had an operation to remove a chip off his knee and he hasn’t really been the same since,” said managing part-owner Jamie Lovett, of Australian Bloodstock. “He’s holding back on the firm tracks here, he needs a track with cut in it.”
Raw Impulse winning at Caulfield
Windsor Park challenge
The intention is for Raw Impulse to run in Saturday’s G1 Windsor Park Plate at Hastings and then remain in New Zealand.
“The plan is to leave him there and he’ll transfer to Fraser Auret. We’ll give him a crack and see what he can do,” Lovett said. “We’re keen to change his environment to give him his chance.”
Raw Impulse broke his maiden in England placed a further four times from six starts before his sale and relocation in 2016 to Weir’s operation.
He made an immediate impact by winning his first three starts from his new quarters and subsequently made his mark at black type level with a runaway victory in the Listed Penang Trophy over 1800 metres at Morphettville.
“But with conditions to suit we think he is a Group 1 horse.” - Jamie Lovett said.
“He’s a very good horse, but his form has tapered off after having the chip out. But with conditions to suit we think he is a Group 1 horse,” Lovett said.
Provided he runs up to expectations this weekend, the G1 Livamol Classic on the last day of the Hastings carnival will be a target.
A half-brother to the Listed French winner Sabratah, Raw Impulse is out of the Marju (USA) mare Marika (GB) who was successful at Listed level and is a half-sister to the dam of the G1 Prix d’Ispahan winner Best Of The Bests (IRE) (Machiavellian {USA}).
The last and only time the Australian Bloodstock colours were seen in New Zealand was in 2012 when Craig Williams donned their silks to guide Ockham’s Razor (NZ) (Any Suggestion) to victory in the Karaka Million at Ellerslie.
