Third time lucky for Cork in Tauranga Classic

[Wandering Eyes]

After hard-luck stories in the Listed Team Wealleans Tauranga Classic (1400m) in both of the last two winters, Cork (NZ) (Complacent) made amends in style on Saturday with a $22 upset in the fillies and mares’ feature.

Cork had already proven herself as a Tauranga specialist, winning three of her five previous starts at the track including a seven-length Rating 75 romp on the Tauranga Classic undercard in 2022. But the Bay Of Plenty’s midwinter black-type feature had proved frustratingly elusive.

The 2023 edition was abandoned and rescheduled for Hawke’s Bay in early July, and Cork was unsuited by the change of venue and battled home in seventh behind Flower Of Wanaka (NZ) (Burgundy). Her tilt at last year’s Tauranga Classic was over almost before it began – getting a long way back after a slow start and making a late run into eighth behind Casino Princess (NZ) (Casino Prince).

Saturday, finally, was Cork’s day. The seven-year-old collected the first black-type win of her 27-start, six-win career.

The Tauranga Classic was the first raceday appearance in 251 days for Cork, whose last start was in the Staphanos Classic (1950m) at Rotorua on October 13. But she had shown promising signs in a trial placing at Waipa in late May, and trainer Pam Gerard took a quiet confidence into the $80,000 feature.

“She’s a great little mare,” Gerard said. “She’s been all over the country and just keeps giving us a thrill every time. We know that she’s very hard to beat when she’s fresh up over 1400m at Tauranga. We were obviously up against some good mares today, but she’s been unlucky in this race a couple of times before.

“I’m really stoked for the owners. We’ve been trying to get that black type for so long, and finally we’ve got it today.

“Her work had been super leading into this. We’re lucky we got a very heavy track today, which she absolutely loves.

“It’s always hard taking on seasoned horses fresh up in these testing conditions, but I know what she can do and I was pretty confident she could be in the first three anyway.”

Cork was ridden by Samantha Collett, who has hit stakes-winning form barely a week after returning from an extended stint in Queensland.

Collett took up a midfield position in fifth behind Electric Time (NZ) (Telperion), Midnight Scandal (NZ) (Belardo), Tristar (NZ) (Exceedance) and Lux Libertas (NZ) (Almanzor). Cork was well within striking distance all the way, although Collett appeared to be urging the mare along as the field made their way past the golf course down the southern side of the Tauranga track.

Electric Time quickly faded out of contention at the home turn and the race changed complexion. Lux Libertas burst through along the inside to take command, with Midnight Scandal and Tristar running on down the middle of the track.

Collett angled Cork to the outside, got her balanced up and asked her to quicken. This time Cork had plenty to offer. She charged home out wide on the track and soon swept past Midnight Scandal and Tristar.

It developed into a two-horse battle on opposite sides of the track, and Cork out finished Lux Libertas to score by half a length. Lux Libertas crossed the line two and three-quarter lengths in front of the third-placed Midnight Scandal.

“It’s fantastic,” said Collett, who also won the last race on the card aboard Kai Moana. “It’s a pretty heavy track, so it really tested my post-Queensland fitness!

“This mare’s work had been very good during the week and she toughed it out so well today.

“Pam and her team have done a super job. She presented in great order.

“I had to work on her a long way out, but I was able to find the fast strip in the straight and she was the toughest one there. She really gave me everything she had.”

Gerard is now keen to take Cork to Christchurch for a third shot at the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton on August 2. Cork was runner-up to Belardo Boy in the 2023 edition of that time-honoured feature, followed by an eighth behind Jay Bee Gee last August.

“That’s where we’ll head again, probably with one more run in the north in between times,” the Matamata trainer said.

Cork was bred by Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax and was offered by Blandford Lodge in Book 2 of Karaka 2019, where Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Ballymore Stables NZ bought her for $30,000. She has now had 27 starts for six wins, five placings and $188,068 in stakes for owners Dame Sian Elias, Natalie Walker, Ned Fletcher and Hugh Fletcher.

Cork is by former Mapperley Stud stallion Complacent, who is the sire of 52 winners from 89 runners including Group Three winners Jay Bee Gee (NZ) and Hi Yo Sass Bomb (NZ). Cork is the Authorized stallion’s third stakes winner.

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