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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Hey Happy (right) in the mid-stages of his dominant victory in the Ken & Roger Browne Memorial Steeplechase (3900m) at Te Rapa. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Promising chaser Hey Happy showed he could be in for a prosperous winter after bolting away with the opening steeplechase of the season at Te Rapa on Saturday, the Ken & Roger Browne Memorial Steeplechase (3900m). Prepared by jumps maestro Kevin Myers the eight-year-old son of Rip Van Winkle never put a foot wrong in the hands of rider Dean Parker. Never far from the lead throughout the 3900m journey, Hey Happy took the race by the scruff of the neck with a powerful leap at the third last fence and he continued to forge clear from there on, eventually easing down to win by more than 19 lengths from Torque Time and topweight Raucous. Parker was full of smiles after the race as he described the ease of the win. “He was a really nice ride and I had a lot of confidence going into the race,” Parker said. “I thought he’d go quite well and I checked behind me to make sure they weren’t too close before giving him a quiet run to the line. “He jumped super throughout and loved just poking up on the inside. I thought I was going good at the 800m and something had to be going even better to get past me at that stage.” The victory will thrust Hey Happy to the forefront of discussions surrounding the Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) that has been moved from its traditional mid-May raceday to the Te Rapa meeting to be held on the 15th of June. A versatile performer Hey Happy has successfully mixed flat racing with an emerging jumping career as he now adds a third jumping success (two over the steeplechase fences) to his four wins on the flat and over $215,000 in prizemoney. Horse racing news View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Eventual winner Star Ballot (outside) and stablemate Tomyturbo fight out the Hornby Club Founders Cup (2600m) at Riccarton Park. Photo: Race Images South For the second time in three weekends, the Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained pair of Star Ballot and Tomyturbo have fought out a thrilling finish to a staying race at Riccarton – and for the second time in three weekends, Star Ballot has come out on top. Saturday’s Hornby Club Founders Cup (2600m) was the rematch of a Rating 75 race over the same course and distance on April 20, where Star Ballot finished over the top of Tomyturbo to win by half a length. The $40,000 Founders Cup followed a similar script, with Tomyturbo trucking into the race from midfield soon after the home turn while Star Ballot was hard on his heels. This time they were joined by Sacred Dream to make it a three-way tussle through the last 200m, but again it was Star Ballot who was able to find the most through the closing stages of the race and snatched victory by a nose for jockey Lisa Allpress. The five-year-old’s win was an impressive weight-carrying performance under 60kg, with Tomyturbo carrying 58kg and Sacred Dream 55.5kg. In their previous meeting, Star Ballot had 57kg and Tomyturbo carried 56.5kg. “That was a massive effort under the 60kg,” Michael Pitman said. “After his last win, I expected the step up into an open handicap for this race would drop his weight down to about 54kg, but instead he went all the way up to 60. For him to still win the race was huge. “The second horse ran a great race too, and he’ll get his turn. This was only his third run past 1600m. Kylie Williams said she ended up hitting the front a bit too soon and knew Star Ballot would come at him, so she was just trying to hold him together as much as she could. He didn’t lose anything in defeat today.” Star Ballot was offered by breeders Westbury Stud at the 2020 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, where Pitman secured him for $45,000. The Tarzino gelding has now had 27 starts for six wins, six placings and $149,405 in stakes, and there might be even bigger and better things in store next season. “I’m not sure about Tomyturbo, but Star Ballot will definitely go for a break now and then we’ll aim him at the New Zealand Cup (Group 3, 3200m) in the spring,” Pitman said. “I’ve already offered the ride to Lisa, and she seems keen to stick with him. “I’ve made no secret about the fact that he’s my favourite horse in the stable, he’s just such a cool dude of a horse, and I think he’s a real genuine stayer.” Pitman’s affection for Star Ballot may prompt him to turn his attention across the Tasman in early June. “Westbury has a full-brother going through the yearling sale on the Gold Coast in a few weeks’ time, so I might have to see if I can put together a syndicate to buy him,” Pitman said. The Founders Cup was the third win on the Riccarton card for the Pitmans, who won sprint races earlier in the afternoon with Motiontime and Zoulander. Horse racing news View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Harlech dashes away to a comprehensive win in the Avon City Ford Easter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton. Photo: Race Images South Fan favourite Harlech has finally found his way to the winners’ enclosure following more than three and a half years since his last victory, racing away for a satisfying win in the Avon City Ford Easter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton. The seven-year-old son of Darci Brahma has been in many elite level battles over the years, with a number of placings in races such as the Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) and most recently runner-up in the Group 3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m), since winning the Benalla Cup (1406m) back in October 2020. Co-trainer Pam Gerard has never lost faith in her charge and echoed the sentiments of many after witnessing his return to winning form in spectacular fashion by running away from his rivals in the final stages. “He deserves it as he was very unlucky last start when finishing second off a slow pace,” Gerard said. “I thought we were a little bit stuck at the top of the straight today but once we got out, he showed the confidence he has gained since being down here. “He had gone up a lot in weight and it is hard to carry that when you are at the end of a long prep. “He looked sensational and to Sian and Hugh and all his other owners who have been so patient and trusted me to bring him down here, a big thank you. “He is one of the favourites at home and we thought he was coming to the end of his career but a trip down here (from Matamata) and some sun on his back means there is no better place than the South Island.” Allpress cut a satisfied figure after the victory and was keen to remind people that her mount was a class animal. “When I got around to the start there were a couple of people there asking if he knew where the winning post was as he has that sort of stigma around him,” she said. “He has been in every big race possible and run creditably so the potential has always been there. “He just kept on giving and wanted to be there and he is very genuine.” Horse racing news View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Niranjan Parmar returns to the birdcage aboard Discretion Rules after his victory in the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m). Photo: Race Images South Consistent galloper Discretion Rules cracked his maiden victory in fine style after a string of minor placings when taking out the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton. The son of Alabama Express is prepared by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson from their Riccarton base and had the misfortune of striking star stablemate Nucleozor at his first three starts, where he placed third then second in consecutive runs, before finding the top step of the podium at his fourth attempt. Bounced away nicely from barrier four by Niranjan Parmar, Discretion Rules sat outside pacemaker Great Time before assuming control at the 300m. Parmar asked for a serious effort, and he shot way by three lengths before holding out the late challenges of Cambridge visitor Ziggy Stardust and the second Walker and Bergerson runner in Colonel Warden. Te Akau Racing Manager Reece Trumper was on hand to witness the victory and was quick to praise the ride by their stable apprentice. “It was a great ride by Parmar as he put him in a lovely position where he relaxed beautifully,” Trumper said. “The step up to 1200m was a question mark but Parmar gave him a treat of a ride and that is why he is the leading apprentice (43 wins) at present. “Colonel Warden was also really good as he flattened out well and will improve with the run, so he won’t be taking long to win one.” Walker was also taken with the performance. “It was a really good win today,” he said. “He’d obviously been going great races behind his stable-mate Nucleozor, but it was good to see him get his Maiden win in a Listed race. “He’s a yearling that Dave (Ellis) bought before we knew how good the sire (Alabama Express) was going to be. He’s a very promising sire and we were very impressed with his yearlings throughout the sales series, at Magic Millions, Sydney, and Melbourne. He’s got a lovely line of young horses. “We’re going to give him a break now, because he’s had four starts since early March, so it’s great for him to gain a valuable win before going out.” Horse racing news View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Super Photon and Michael McNab power to victory in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Super Photon’s growing reputation was put to the test in Saturday’s Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa, and the exciting colt rose to the challenge in style. The black-type feature was the second win in an unblemished two-start career for the Super Seth colt, who had kicked off with a commanding three-length victory at Rotorua last month. That debut win came over 1150m against just five opponents, who had a total of six previous starts between them. The runner-up was the first-starter Magice, a trial-winning full-brother to the Group 1 winner and Waikato Stud stallion Noverre, while third placegetter Ziggy Stardust went on to run second in Saturday’s Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton. Trainer Stephen Marsh upped the ante on Saturday with Super Photon, taking a big step up to 1400m in a talented field of 11 that included proven black-type winner Domain Ace and impressive recent winners Renovations and Star Shadow. An unsuitable Soft 7 track added another degree of difficulty to the challenge, but Marsh and jockey Michael McNab had a feeling that Super Photon might be good enough to win regardless. Super Photon emphatically proved them right with his performance on Saturday. Sent out as a $3.80 second favourite behind Domain Ace, Super Photon settled in fourth place as Renovations and Force Of Law sprinted to the front in the first 100m and then put the brakes on through the middle stages of the race. McNab cruised up on the outside of that pair at the home turn and pushed the button in the straight. Super Photon quickened smartly and soon swept up alongside Renovations, who lifted again and tried her hardest to stay with him. But Super Photon slowly but surely edged ahead, opening up a winning margin of a length and a half. “He’s a beautiful horse,” McNab said. “I trialled him a few weeks ago and just fell in love with him and everything about him. I was suspended when he won on debut, but I was lucky enough that the connections gave me the ride back and he was really good today. “I thought the speed might be a bit more genuine, but we walked and he was overdoing it for a while before he came back to me nicely. “He found a kick in the straight, but was struggling in that ground, so it was a big effort to win. I think you’ll see him down at Riccarton in the spring. He’s going the right way.” Bred by Waikato Stud, Super Photon is the second stakes winner from the first crop of their stallion Super Seth, who is also the sire of the Sydney Group 3 winner Linebacker. Super Photon is a half-brother to the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) winner Mo’unga, who has recently been announced as a new stallion for Newhaven Park in New South Wales. Waikato Stud offered Super Photon in their Book 1 yearling draft at Karaka last year, where Stephen Marsh Racing, Dennis Foster, Bourbon Lane and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock purchased him for $380,000. His two-from-two career has banked $55,520 in stakes so far, with the promise of a lot more to come. Saturday’s win continued a tradition of black-type juvenile success at Te Rapa at this time of year for Marsh, who won a 1200m version of this race with No More Tears (2015), Ugo Foscolo (2016), Ardrossan (2017) and Santa Catarina (2018). “That was outstanding,” stable representative and bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson said on Saturday. “You’re always a bit nervous when you saddle up these sorts of colts. We knew going up to 1400m today was a bit of a stretch in just his second start. “But he’s a very classy colt, extremely well bred and a beautiful style of horse, so to see that performance today was very exciting. “He’s still so new to it and he’s far from the finished article. Whatever he did as a two-year-old was always just going to be a bonus. Once he gets up to a mile and really learns his craft, he’s going to be pretty dangerous. “We’ve had some luck winning two-year-old stakes races here at this time of the year, and to win this one today over 1400m probably makes it the most important one so far.” Horse racing news View the full article
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