Equiano’s Lauchetti launches his Fighting Spirit

When you see good judges and experienced buyers at the yearling sales analyzing pedigrees and scrutinizing type and conformation, one factor no expert can see is a horse’s will to win.

At Sandown today the little fighter Lauchetti showed how important that quality is in a racehorse when he dug deep and kicked back to win thebigscreencompany.com.au Handicap at Ladbrokes Park Hillside over 1300m.

This is Lauchetti’s first city win, and his second win in a row, saluting last start at Werribee over 1100m in The Tigers Clubhouse Bm58.

Lauchetti is a four-year-old gelding by Equiano from Stravinsky mare, Join the Dance bred by Malcolm and Sue McLaughlin.

Speaking with Malcolm, he was thrilled with the way Lauchetti won.

“It was a tough assignment today, he didn’t see out the distance at his last start over 1300m, so today was a query. It was also his first big time city race so when he was leading down the straight we thought he had done the same thing, gone out too fast, too early. But what we saw was a real fighter, Apiata actually hit the lead, but he fought back and kicked again.”

“He is a real little trier. I would rather have a horse like that, than the fastest horse that doesn’t try. He has guts and wants to win”

“Being the smallest horse in the race at barely fifteen hands, he’s only a little tacker, but what he lacks in height he certainly made up for today in winning spirit”

“I put a bit of pressure on Jordan Childs before the race as his dad, Greg rode our first city winner 20 years ago. I told him I hoped he could get this guys first city win for us”

Aquanita trainer, Robert Smerdon was pleasantly surprised as this was a real class test today.

“He had a few hurdles to overcome, stepping up in both grade and distance.”

"When he was headed in the straight by Apiata we thought he would hold on for second place but he just didn’t give in.”

“He is not big in height or weight, and when bunking on Childs being quite tall, I told him he could have stepped up on him!” But I assured him pre race that’s its not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog”.

The McLaughlin’s are now looking at breeding Lauchetti’s dam, Join The Dance back to Equiano this year.

“After today’s result, it’s proving to be a pretty good match. It’s a good possibility we will be coming back to visit Swettenham Stud soon.”