New Zealand three-year-old Mazzuro will make one more appearance in Victoria before heading home.

The connections’ decision to send the son of Rip Van Winkle across the Tasman has proved a masterstroke with the chestnut now the winner of two of his three Australian starts.

Mazzuro finished runner-up in a maiden at Moe before he was successful over 2200m at Geelong and at Sandown on Saturday he won a A$120,000 three-year-old handicap (2100m).

“It was a very satisfying result,” trainer Paul Richards said. “I flew home on Sunday morning, but I spoke to his trackwork rider this morning and the horse is 100 per cent.

“He’ll run in another three-year-old race worth A$120,000 at Flemington on June 9 and then he’ll definitely come home after that for a break.”

He is raced by Mosgiel couple Bill and Sandra Duell, long-standing clients of Richards and was sourced as a replacement for their now retired multiple stakes-winning sprinter Natuzzi.

Out of the Listed winner Mini Pearl, Mazzuro was bred by Wanganui couple Nigel and Adaire Auret and prepared by son Hamish to win two trials in the central districts last spring before his purchase.

“The only down side was that he’d missed much of his three-year-old career so I said to the owners if he came up well we’d chase some good money in Australia,” Richards said.

His offshore campaign will be his last for Richards as he will be joining Te Akau next season in the role of travelling foreman.

Mazzuro will transfer to son Jamie, who is taking sole charge of the Matamata training operation