At Hastings Racecourse on Sunday, Waitak secured his fifth Group 1 victory by winning the Livamol Classic (2040m), narrowly overtaking Tuxedo in a hard-fought finish. The two horses had previously contested the Group 1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at the same venue just two weeks prior, where Waitak prevailed by a short half-head. This latest meeting saw Waitak once again emerge victorious, this time by a margin of one length following a strong closing effort.

Ridden by Craig Grylls, Waitak was slow out of the gates and initially positioned midfield along the inside fence. The race’s early pace was set unexpectedly by Hi Yo Sass Bomb, while Tuxedo, under Opie Bosson, settled just off the rail about two lengths ahead of Waitak. Approaching the home turn, Grylls moved Waitak wider to find clear running as Bosson pushed Tuxedo to the lead once straightened. Waitak responded powerfully in the final 100 meters, overtaking his rival with several decisive strides to claim the win. The outsider Who Knows finished strongly to take third place.

Grylls described the race as a bit congested early on, noting it was not the ideal scenario but expressed confidence turning for home. “They were bunched up, and across the top, there was a bit of scrimmaging going on, so I thought I’d be better keeping him out in the open and rolling. I saw Tuxedo put a gap on us, but at the 250m, I was confident he was going to pick him up,” he said. Co-trainer Andrew Scott, who works alongside Lance O’Sullivan, praised Waitak’s strength and composure, calling him “our champion” and highlighting the calm approach advised by O’Sullivan before the race.

Waitak, bred by the late Colin Devine and owned by Jill Devine, has now amassed 10 wins, 11 placings, and over NZ$2.3 million in earnings from 41 starts.

Elsewhere on Sunday at Ashburton, the three-year-old Fraudster claimed his first stakes win, taking out the Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) in commanding fashion. Trained by Kenny Rae, Fraudster led from near the start under apprentice Jack Taplin, who had secured a good position despite drawing a wide barrier (11). Once in front, Fraudster quickly opened a decisive gap on the field entering the home stretch and maintained his advantage, defeating Cool As Bling and On Piste, who finished strongly in second and third respectively.

Fraudster had recently finished third over 1200m at Riccarton after enduring a wide trip. This victory marked an important step in his preparation for the upcoming Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 14. Rae’s daughter, Krystal Williams, who accepted congratulations post-race, indicated that while the original plan was for Fraudster to settle behind the leaders, Taplin's tactical decision to lead worked exceptionally well. “Jack rated him really well,” she noted, emphasizing the colt’s adaptability and strong performance.