Best day ever - John Street relives the thrill of Platinum Invador’s upset Auckland Cup win

In 38 years of racing horses, Lincoln Farms’ owner John Street can’t remember a more enjoyable day at the races than Saturday at Pukekohe.

Little Lincoln Star got the juices running when he scored a nose win in the opening $70,000 race at odds of $32.60 then Platinum Invador got up in the last couple of strides to bag the $500,000 Auckland Cup at $22.80.

It was the stuff of dreams and the fact Street had a full wallet after backing both winners wasn’t even a factor as he celebrated a cross code double few, if any, could claim - winning an Auckland galloping cup to add to the Auckland Trotting Cup he claimed with Sir Lincoln in 2012.

Platinum Invador (white blaze) storms home out wide. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.“It was a very exciting day,” Street said. “I didn’t think Platinum Invador was going to pick up the other horse (Nerve Not Verve) and he got up only in the last couple of strides. It was a great ride by Ryan Elliot.”

The Auckland Cup isn’t the richest race Street and his wife Lynne have won, the $287,500 winner’s purse paling alongside the $550,500 which Fort Lincoln earned them for winning the 2011 Karaka Million at Ellerslie.

It isn’t even the most prestigious win, the Group II status of the Auckland Cup not matching the Group I glory of the 1000 Guineas with Platinum Witness in 2014 or Mikki Street’s Zabeel Classic in 2006.

But adding to the magic was the fact their long-time racing partner Neville McAlister was there with them to celebrate.

Platinum Invador, bought by McAlister as a yearling for just $25,000, is the latest in a long list of successful horses which they’ve raced together since 2006.

Their first, Platinum Toulouse, won two races before being sold for big money to Hong Kong in 2008.

Trainer Lisa Latta and owners John Street and Neville McAlister hear Ryan Elliot’s report. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.Dozens more followed with McAlister’s Platinum moniker, the likes of topliners Platinum Princess, Platinum Witness, Platinum Command and, arguably the best of them all, the ill-fated Platinum Kingdom who was competitive against the best three-year-olds in Australia.

Queensland campaign favoured

Even though Platinum Invador has now won $757,654, McAlister knows he’s a rung down from that absolute elite level and that’s why, after the $140,000 Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) on April 1, he favours a Queensland campaign.

“It was good having the Aussie (Nerve Not Verve) in the field so we can see where we fit in the food chain.

“We only just got him in the last couple of bounds and he’s a B grader in Melbourne terms. The best race he’s won is the Group Two Chairmans (2600m).

“You have to compare the quality of the field we beat compared with what you’d race in the Sydney Cup or Melbourne Cup and they’re totally different, they’re not his go.”

Platinum Invador, now the winner of $757,654 in stakes. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.Queensland, on the other hand, was the same relative level as the competition in New Zealand and, best of all, says McAlister, they race right-handed.

“He grows another leg the right-handed way and, depending on how he goes at Awapuni, we’ll look at Queensland in May, June and July.

“We have to target races that are winnable and they have three or four 2400m races, some at set weights, some handicaps. We’ll try to stick to set weights as much as possible.

“Another option is the Brisbane Cup but over there they tend to walk and sprint in two mile races - so whether that is the best option I’m not so sure.”

McAlister is also wary of over-taxing Platinum Invador over 3200 metres and points to the failure of Wellington Cup runners who backed up in the Auckland Cup (Trentham winner Leaderboard ran 11th, third-placed Dionysus ran 13th, fourth placed Ladies Man third and Hinepara sixth).

“You’ve got to be very careful how many times you ask them to go two miles in a season as it’s tough on them.

“You can only go to the well so many times but I believe Platinum Invador has a couple of years left in him if we can pick the right races where he gets in with the right weight.”

ARC GM Racing Craig Baker leads Platinum Invador back to scale. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.Platinum Invador might be seven but McAlister points out he didn’t race for 18 months after injuring a tendon in Queensland in May, 2021.

“He hasn’t had the hard racing horses of his age would normally have had. He’s had only 39 races and he’s still young at heart. As a stayer he’s only just coming to it.”

McAlister says he can’t see why Platinum Invador won’t stay sound.

“In the past horses with injured tendons were just chucked in the paddock but these days most of those who have had stem cell surgery hold up. He had the surgery then a lot of time off, then a long, slow preparation and he’s fine now.”

Platinum Invador’s performance in the cup confirmed trainer Lisa Latta’s pre-race confidence that she had him the fittest possible.

And the win ended a frustrating run of close things in the Auckland Cup for Latta who previously lined up Platinum Invador for an unlucky third in 2020 and earlier Five To Midnight (twice) and King Kamada finished runners-up.

King brave fifth

Lincoln Farms’ second cup runner Lincoln King battled bravely for fifth, 6.7 lengths from the winner, without ever looking a real threat.

Rider Opie Bosson had the eight-year-old well positioned in the running but told trainer Stephen Marsh he couldn’t get out and rolling when he wanted to.

“He’s a good, genuine customer who grinds away well and Opie thought he should be aimed at the New Zealand Cup. He’s well placed again at the weights for a race like that.”