After leading all the way to claim his first black-type win in last year’s Gr.3 Humphries Construction Manawatu Cup (2300m), Sagunto returned to defend that crown with an even more spectacular front-running performance at Trentham on Saturday.

Sagunto defied $20 odds for his narrow victory over Subtle Point and Soprano Supreme in the 2022 edition of the Cup, and the Peter and Shaun McKay-trained runner started as a distant $10 second favourite on Saturday behind dominant market leader Manifique ($1.65). However, almost from the moment the starting gates opened, all eyes were firmly on Sagunto.

Jockey Lisa Allpress has formed a successful partnership with Sagunto, guiding him to three wins from four rides including last year’s Cup. She is well aware of the O’Reilly gelding’s fondness for doing his own thing out in front, and she was happy to let him roll on Saturday.

Sagunto took command within the first few strides of the $120,000 race, and by the time he swung around into Trentham’s back straight, he was in full flow. A margin of three lengths quickly grew to seven, eight and 10.

Still loving his work and doing it with ease, Sagunto led by almost a dozen lengths coming around the side of the track and approaching the home turn. He was showing no sign of slowing down, and the chasers were beginning to panic.

Allpress drove Sagunto down the Trentham home straight to complete a dominant victory, beating Fierce Flight and Never Look Back by six lengths.

“That was very cool,” Allpress said. “I had Peter in the back of my mind, saying, ‘Whatever you do, don’t look back. Just trust that you can judge the speed.’

“He’s such a neat horse and had no weight today – 55 is a seriously light weight for a horse like him, who’s been carrying 60 kilos in his previous races. Dropping down today, he felt like a different horse. He was so bouncy out in front and just pinging off that track. He literally leaped over the back gap there.

“I was counting my furlongs, thinking that even though we were going quick, he felt so good and I thought I still had plenty there. He wasn’t overly pulling. He was just nicely on the bit. I didn’t want to look back, but I couldn’t hear anyone.

“He loves to roll along and get his own way, and he’s just such a neat horse.”

Sagunto was bred by Waikato Stud, who offered him at Karaka as a yearling in 2017, where Peter and Kim McKay bought him for $120,000. His 65-start career has now produced nine wins, 16 placings and $369,046 in stakes.

“That was a dominant performance,” Shaun McKay said. “I was a little bit nervous around the back when he rolled forward like that, but that’s what he likes doing. He had five or six on them at the corner and just kept going. It was great to watch.

“People sometimes ask why we ride him like that, but that’s the way he likes to go. The faster he goes, the more he keeps going.

“He’s won nine races now and gone back-to-back in this race, so he’s been a great horse for us. He’s definitely the stable pet.

“He can be quite hard to place. When you go through the fields and there doesn’t seem to be any other speed, you’re pretty confident he’s going to run well. It’s when there’s another horse in the race that’s going to put pressure on him that you get a bit nervous. But when you get days like this, it’s amazing.

“It’s a big thrill to defend the title. He was carrying only a couple of kilos more this time around, but up against some good horses. He keeps getting better and better.”

Seaton Park will offer a Per Incanto half-sister to Sagunto as Lot 338 in Book 1 of Karaka 2024 next month.

Manifique was the disappointing runner in the Manawatu Cup, finishing a clear last with rider Michael McNab reporting that she hung badly throughout the race.