Group 1-winning New Zealand sprinter Crocetti has returned to Danny Walker and Arron Tata’s Byerley Park stable to be prepared for some lofty summer targets.
The four-year-old son of Zacinto was a standout in his three-year-old season, winning six of his seven starts, including the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), and was runner-up behind Bonny Lass in the Group1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m).
The Daniel Nakhle-bred and raced chestnut picked up where he left off, winning the Kerikeri Cup (1100m) first-up this season before placing in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1200m) and winning the Group 1 Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on Karaka Millions night.
That triumph earned him Trackside NZ and Perth Racing’s slot in the $5 million The Quokka (1200m), however, he tailed the field home in the Perth feature and has since enjoyed a well-earned spell.
Walker is delighted with the way Crocetti has returned to his South Auckland barn and is looking forward to preparing him for a potentially lucrative summer campaign.
“He came back into work on the weekend and he is looking really well,” Walker said. “He had a good spell and he is looking really good, he is quite happy and fresh.
“There are not a lot of weight-for-age races, and we will miss the early ones, but we will play it by ear and see how he comes up. He looks amazing.”