Nova notches powerful win for Equiano

Equinova appreciated the give in the ground at Moonee Valley on Wednesday to notch his first win in the Telstra Dandenong Hcp (1000m).

The Equiano gelding was positioned midfield by Brad Rawiller before powering home to defeat Red Alto (High Chaparral) and Total Discretion (Northern Meteor) by more than a length.

Equinova (2g Equiano - Tia Nova by Bianconi) had finished third in the $100,000 VOBIS Gold Plate at Cranbourne last month and was the medium of strong support, firming from $15 into $10.

“He ran first-up here in January but threw it away,” trainer Dean Binaisse recalled. “He had never been a problem beforehand but was very coltish that day.”

Gelded and tipped out for four months, he resumed at Cranbourne in May but didn’t play a part after being badly inconvenienced at the start. “He backed up and ran well in the VOBIS Gold Plate and then won a trial by about 5 lengths with ears pricked at Balnarring,” Binaisse revealed. “He loves wet tracks so we will keep him going during winter.”

Equinova was a $20,000 buy from Swettenham Stud (as agent) at the 2014 VOBIS Gold yearling sale and has already repaid that price-tag in bonuses alone. His dam and second-dam were both unraced and he’s a younger half-brother to South Australian winner Novator (Hold That Tiger)

“We were probably a bit further back than I hoped but the speed was on up front and he was in a comfort zone,” Rawiller said. “I was sure the leaders would tire and he started making ground on the corner. He liked the conditions and it was a very good win.”

Swettenham Stud welcomes Equiano (Fr) back to its Nagambie base this year where he will stand his fifth season at stud, having covered over 125 mares in 2014.