Crocetti, one of the brightest stars in last season’s outstanding three-year-old crop, showed he was back bigger and better after he provided a display of guts and determination to take out Saturday’s Alibaba’s Flying Carpets Kerikeri Cup (1100m) at Ruakaka. 

Taken north by trainers Danny Walker and Arron Tata for a firmer surface to kick off his new campaign, that plan almost came unstuck as steady rain throughout the day saw stewards downgrade the official track rating to a Heavy8 before start time in the feature flat event. 

Walker rolled the dice and left the strapping son of Zacinto in the field and he duly obliged under apprentice Triston Moodley in a driving finish with another class galloper in Master Fay, who was also kicking off his latest campaign. 

Moodley had Crocetti nicely placed in third along the rail throughout and elected to stay closer to the rail in the home straight, as the rest of the field swung wide for better going.  

Just as he hit the front with 200m to run, Crocetti was challenged by Master Fay who stormed down the outer to join issue as the pair slugged it out to the winning post, where the decision went in the favour of Crocetti by a head at the line. 

Walker breathed a sigh of relief after the judge confirmed the placings in a race which is quickly taking centre stage as a major lead-up event to the early spring features with horse like Imperatriz and Dragon Leap successful in recent years. 

“He hated that track as he was dipping and diving in it but he’s a tough bugger,” Walker said 

“Turning for home he (Moodley) was planning to come out to the middle, but they were all there and he would have looked stupid doing it, so he had to take that (inside) run.. 

“That’s why they are good horses but if we got beaten, I would’ve been happy though I’ll never run him on a track like that again. 

“He could go to the Tarzino next, but the track would have to be good.” 

Walker was referring to the first Group One feature of the new racing season, the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings on 7 September where his charge sits as the $3.50 equal Fixed Odds favourite with glamour mare Legarto. 

Out of the O’Reilly mare Gracehill, a sibling to Group Three winners Killarney and Crosshaven, Crocetti is the grandson of well performed mare Irish Colleen who numbered the Gr.2 Concorde Handicap (1200m) amongst her seven career victories. 

He has now won eight of his nine starts including the Gr.1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (1600m) and over $795,000 in prizemoney for owner Daniel Nakhle.