The 6-year-old gelding scored his fourth win from 10 starts at the venue after enjoying an economical passage against the rail throughout as the field chased after tearaway pacemaker Humbucker, who was out by 10 lengths in the mid-stages of the contest.
Rider Corey Campbell managed to extract the Brian and Shane Anderton-prepared son of Ghibellines from a tight spot as Humbucker faded badly at the 600m, but was still in a pocket between Mahoe and Sacred Dream as the trio surged away from the pack early in the run home.
Campbell was patient as he waited for the gap to come and, when it presented itself, he quickly pushed Mayor Of Norwood through and to the front, where he drew clear to win comfortably by a length from a brave Mahoe who held out Sacred Dream to claim the runner-up prize.
Shane Anderton was pleased to see his charge back to winning form as the stable looks to aim him at another home-track feature later in the summer.
"It turned into a genuine staying test as they went really hard up in front.
"He got off the back of them at the right time and hit the line well," Anderton said.
"It would be nice if we could stretch him out to the Dunedin Gold Cup distance of 2400m as we are looking at a race like that before he gets too much weight on his back.”
The Dunedin Gold Cup is set to be staged at Wingatui as part of the massive Classics Day on March 1.
Raced by the estate of his breeder, the late Patrick Smith, Mayor Of Norwood is out of the useful race mare Gallant Babe and is the younger brother of the stakes-placed Capo Dell Impero, who won the 2024 edition of the Waikouaiti Cup.
He has now won five of his 26 starts and over $159,000 in prizemoney.
Riccarton trainer Anna Furlong had success in both ODT Southern Mile qualifiers on Saturday.
Terry Moseley rode Tommy Shelby to a second straight Wingatui win in the first, and Campbell guided Quintabelle to a third win from 13 starts in the second.— LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
By Kevin Robertson
