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Sampson, a $20,000 purchase at the 2011 Festival Sale at Karaka, took his earnings past $400,000 with his third black type win in Saturday’s Listed Marton Cup at Awapuni.
“It’s amazing,” trainer Howie Mathews said. “He’s been up a long time, but he just keeps giving and giving.
“We’ve never lost faith in this horse. He’s an old boy now, but he’ll keep going.“Let’s hope he can produce that again in the Wellington Cup.”
The $250,000 G3 Wellington Cup (3200m) will be run at Trentham on January 19.Sampson (Dubai Destination x Magic Star) is raced by Mathews’ wife Lorraine in partnership with Janice Street. Saturday’s win sits alongside his earlier victories in the G2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) and G3 Trentham Stakes (2100m).
He has now had 61 starts for 10 wins, 13 placings and $405,200 in stakes – more than 20 times his purchase price.