El Luchador’s performance at Tauranga is likely to force a change of plans for the six-year-old.

The gelding was being groomed for a jumping career, but a dour performance to win Saturday’s Orora Kiwi Packaging Kiwifruit Cup (2100m) will more than likely put a temporary halt to that.

“He was going to head for the maiden hurdle (at Hawke’s Bay) next week, he’ll probably get a reprieve now,” trainer Mark Brooks said.

El Luchador has showed promise over fences and was placed in a hurdle trial at Cambridge before he resumed on the flat at Te Rapa where he finished sixth in the hands of Michael Coleman.

“It was a good run at his last start and Michael was keen to stick with him so that gave me a bit of confidence,” Brooks said.

“He’s a pretty honest sort of winter galloper.”

El Luchador settled midfield and one off the fence before he improved 800m from home and swung wide into the straight.

He got to the front 200m from the post and got the better of the favourite Rodrico, who finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) before an unsuccessful Hong Kong stint resulted in him joining Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman’s champion stable.

El Luchador is part-owned by his breeders Fran and Faye Drummond, who stood the stallion El Hermano, a brother to the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) winner El Segundo, until he succumbed earlier this year to hoof problems.

Adriatic Pearl made up ground from the back of the field to take third money from the local hope Roger That.