Good things come in threes, and that applies to the smart thoroughbred named Koxinga.
The 5yr-old was one of four progeny of Gallant Guru to win at Wingatui yesterday - with Jackfrost also successful at Otaki - and was hugely impressive again, bringing up his fourth win from six starts, including the last three in succession.
His trainer and co-owner, Wayne Humphries, has just the one horse in work, but it's a good one to have.
''He's smart,'' Humphries said with a hint of understatement in his voice.
''He's a horse that wants to be there and he's a lovely horse to work with.''
He is a lovely horse to back as well for punters, paying more than $3 in each of his wins, including yesterday's closing price of $4.10.
Humphries has fielded several calls from interested parties but Koxinga is not for sale.
''I have [been approached] but I didn't even let them start. I said I'm not interested. You only get one every now and then like this.''
Humphries, who bred the mare with his wife, Lone, started working the gelding last year, although he took an alternative approach more regularly used with trotters as he got the horse ready for racing.
''He spent a lot of time behind the jogger - he absolutely loved that and [it] made him really good.''
Humphries has given jockey Darrin Skerrett a new lease on life, as the 50-year-old has been aboard for all six of Koxinga's starts. Skerrett is unbeaten in three rides this season, winning twice with Koxinga and saluting aboard Pacific Tap at Gore on Friday.
''All credit to Darrin. He rides him in work every morning,'' Humphries said. The horse was ''boxed over at Gary Gibson's because my place backs on to Gary's. Ken McRae had him out jogging when he was just out of Gore - they were really helpful guys.''
Humphries did have a Danske half-sister to Koxinga who had five starts, but she broke down, and Koxinga is all he needs to keep him busy at the moment.
The next target for Koxinga is his biggest yet.
Humphries will target the group 3 Stewards Stakes at Riccarton next Wednesday, with a race on the final day of the carnival the back-up option if needed.
So what are the three good things?
Koxinga is the third horse of that name to race.
Humphries believes there was one racing about 100 years ago which won a race or two, and his father, Roy, trained a horse named Koxinga to several wins before he put his foot in a hole at Riccarton when leading one day.
