Former Hong Kong galloper wins in NZ debut

[Wandering Eyes]

It’s been a long road back to the racetrack for six-year-old gelding Master Fay (Deep Field), but he made a winning return at Tauranga on Friday when taking out the Ray White Pukehina 1200 for owner-trainer Chad Ormsby.

It was full circle for Ormsby, who purchased the son of Deep Field out of Highden Park’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $100,000 as a pinhooking prospect.

However, Master Fay didn’t make it back to the sales ring and was sold to Hong Kong interests following two impressive trial wins. He performed well in Hong Kong, winning his only start at Sha Tin in 2021 for trainer Caspar Fownes before soundness issues struck and he was eventually retired back to New Zealand.

“It has been just over three years since he had his one start in Hong Kong, and it has been a bit of a rocky road getting him back to the races,” Ormsby said.

“We bought him as a yearling at Karaka off Highden Park. In preparation for the breeze-ups we thought he was a bit special so we trialled him. He won two trials and then he was sold to a client of (late bloodstock agent) Stuey Hale’s.

“He trialled a couple of times up there and was very impressive when winning his one start up there.

“We saw him go off the boil a little bit and we got in contact with the owner and said if anything goes wrong, he can come back and retire in New Zealand. He had a lot to do with the foundation of Riverrock Farm and getting us going, so we owed him a lot, and were happy to give him a forever home if he was to retire from Hong Kong.

“After a couple of years of them trying, they made the decision to retire him and send him back to New Zealand.

“When he arrived back here he was in such good order it didn’t take much to convince the owners to have another crack back here with him. They handed back the ownership to us and said we could have a chance of racing him.

“We thought the time was right, the track was right, and it all fell into place.”

Ormsby rates Master Fay as one of the best horses that has been in his care, and he believes he has a bright future instore if he remains sound.

“He is as good as we have ever seen or had,” he said. “Today he was only 70-75 percent fit and was just relying on his ability. If he stays sound, he will be one of the best horses in New Zealand.

“He is part of the family and that is why we are doing everything we can. We know how good he can be but at the end of the day we have got to look after him.”

Ormsby isn’t too sure what lies next for Master Fay, but he said he will continue to take the gelding along quietly.

“Although he is six, he has only had the two starts. He acts likes a two-year-old and has got a bit to learn still. We don’t want to chuck him in the deep end too soon, so we will just wait and see,” he said.

Ormsby also enjoyed seeing stablemate Rising Tide place in the Proudly Ray White Maiden (1200m).

“He was good but just lacked a bit of fitness. We got the ball rolling today and he should be winning one soon,” he said.

Looking ahead to weekend racing, Ormsby is excited to head back to Ellerslie on Sunday where they will get the opportunity to race for the first time on their new StrathAyr track.

Ormsby will line-up Lord Weyburn in the Bent Down On One Knee Ben Masters 1500, with the view of returning to the Auckland track in March for the Gr.1 Trackside NZ Derby (2400m).

“He is not without a chance,” Ormsby said. “He is probably going to be a run short still, but we are looking forward to getting him up over 2000m, which will likely be the Waikato Guineas (Gr.2, 2000m). “We are very confident the horse will stay and all going well after Sunday, he will still be on track for the Derby.”

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