Oscar Bonavena sold for heavyweight price
OTAGO’S Harness Jewels contingent halved when trotter Oscar Bonavena was sold in a bigmoney deal yesterday.
The Phil Williamsontrained 2yrold transferred to Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen’s stable yesterday afternoon after Purdon gave the horse the tick of approval in a private trial.
Oscar
Bonavena will race for the All
Stars stable with Rasmussen in the sulky in Saturday’s Jewels.
The horse has been sold for a massive undisclosed sum — likely to be a record price tag for a New Zea land 2yrold trotter — to North American trainer and expatriate New Zealander Chris Ryder and Purdon’s father, Roy.
The horse’s price tag could not be revealed by Williamson, but he described it as a big offer.
And it needed to be to secure the horse.
‘‘He’s the best young horse I think I have ever had,’’ Williamson said.
Oscar Bonavena has only step ped out on a racetrack three times in his life, but he has made a mighty impression.
After a quiet Oamaru trial he won impressively on debut at Rangiora before running Enhance Your Calm to a neck in the Sires Stakes Championship earlier this month.
‘‘I have never had one go out and run his last half in 57.5 in his first start — off one trial with two horses.
‘‘Then they went a New Zealand record in his next start, so he is a pretty special horse.’’
Although disappointed to see the horse leave his stable, the deal was simply too good for his owners to turn down, Williamson said.
Oscar Bonavena was raced by John Purvis and Harry Webber, both of Christchurch.
Purvis is the father of Charlotte, the partner of the trotter’s former driver, Matthew Williamson.
Matthew will drive Delishka and Tiger Thompson at the Jewels in Cambridge on Saturday.
Phil Williamson will be represented by Majestic Man, who has Brad Williamson booked to drive.
The trotter has to contend with barrier 8, while main rival Winterfell has the luxury of barrier 1.
The draw leaves little option but to use Majestic Man’s blazing gate speed to try to settle in a handy position.
‘‘It’s not ideal, but it is only a draw,’’ Phil Williamson said.
‘‘I guess that is his only option, getting out, otherwise it won’t be easy.’’
‘‘But with the favourite drawn one, I wouln’t say race over, but if he trots all of the way it is race over.’’