Jubilant jockey Jason Waddell declared Tavistock would be a major force in the remaining Hawke's Bay triple crown races after his upset win in the first leg, the Group One Mudgway Stakes at Hastings on Saturday.Tavistock, who raced in Melbourne as Lord Tavistock last spring, outkicked the favourite Mufhasa in a thrilling run to the line, with Sterling Prince third and Il Quello Veloce storming home for fourth. He paid $40 for the win.The race was marred by an incident at the 700m in the 1400m we

Jubilant jockey Jason Waddell declared Tavistock would be a major force in the remaining Hawke's Bay triple crown races after his upset win in the first leg, the Group One Mudgway Stakes at Hastings on Saturday.

Tavistock, who raced in Melbourne as Lord Tavistock last spring, outkicked the favourite Mufhasa in a thrilling run to the line, with Sterling Prince third and Il Quello Veloce storming home for fourth. He paid $40 for the win.

The race was marred by an incident at the 700m in the 1400m weight-for-age feature in which both Altered Image and Maximum Star lost their riders.

Both horses and jockeys Michael Coleman and Darryl Bradley were quickly to their feet.

Bradley suffered bruising to an arm while Coleman was reported to be uninjured.

"He can go through the triple crown - he's a good horse," a thrilled Waddell told Trackside TV.

"I planned to run him forward but we got absolutely hammered coming out of the gates so I thought it best to go back and give him a bit of cover.

"When the fall occurred at the 700 a couple of the other riders seemed to freeze, so I thought here is my chance to make up two or three lengths on them.

"Halfway down (the straight) I struggled to get past Mufhasa but that one run under his belt really helped him the last bit."

Mufhasa lost few admirers in his first run for the spring. He was three wide early and attacked forcefully at the top of the straight, finding only Tavistock too much in the final strides.

Tavistock, a Montjeu entire, had four starts for Melbourne trainer Mick Price last season and raced well in good company.

He ran second in the Listed Vain Stakes first-up and then won a $A100,000 three-year-old 1400m at Flemington. He ran fourth in the Group Three Caulfield Guineas Prelude before failing in the Guineas.

He returned to Andrew Campbell, who had trained him at Masterton as a two-year-old, and ran third to Fritzy Boy in a 1200m sprint at Foxton three weeks ago.

Campbell said earlier this month he had trained and sold some very good horses but had always thought Tavistock to be the best of them.