To Racha with love
SOUTH Island apprentice jockey Racha Cuneen showed his jockey talents and his human qualities in a dramatic Group I Telegraph sprint at Trentham yesterday.
Cuneen caused a boilover on one of the outsiders Signify, getting up just on the finishing line to beat second favourite Start Wondering in the $250,000 JR & N Berkett-sponsored feature.
But for all the joy for the winners there was tragedy too as one of the favourites, First Serve, broke down during the running and later had to be put down.
It was terrible for the mare’s jockey Samantha Wynne who was dislodged from the horse.
She didn’t ride in the next race, which was won by her booked ride, Show MacCool, and Cuneen was one of a number of jockeys who consoled her while that race was being run.
Wynne rode First Serve in all nine of her starts for seven wins and said the loss was tough to take.
‘‘It’s just devastating. She’s been such a good horse for me, she was my favourite and she deserved to run in a race like that.
‘‘Even when she fell she was taking care of me, the way she fell kept me safe.
Cunen, 25, was second in the Telegraph a year ago rode, when outsider Adventador beat Miss Seton Sands. It was close yesterday but he went one better on Signify, who paid $46.30 for the win.
‘‘It’s Redemption Day for me after last year. It’s nice to win it’’
It was the 25-year-old’s second Group I victory after La Diosa won the Thousand Guineas at Riccarton in November.
‘‘I’m very grateful for the opportunities,’’ he said.
The five-year-old gelding is trained by Alex ‘‘Snooky’’ Cowan at Ashburton and owned by his wife, Tracey. They were joined in the victory parade by their daughter Kate, who is apprenticed to Kevin Myers at Whanganui.
Signify, now five, was bred by by Wentwood Grange’s Hawkins family under their Llanhennock Trust banner and bought by Tracey Cowan at the South Island sales in 2013 for just $5500.
If Cowan had been keen to sell ‘‘George’’ as a young horse, he was out of luck. ‘‘Tracey wouldn’t let me,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s her dreams and hopes that got him here today.’’
Cuneen said while Signify was wide early in the Telegraph he had cover. They came pounding home from well back.
‘‘I knew he would finish it off,’’ said the jockey who is apprenticed to Neill Ridley.
Start Wondering was gallant in defeat in attempting the Group I Railway Telegraph and co-trainer Evan Rayner was generous about the result.
‘‘The better horse won on the day,’’ he said. ‘‘I think our horse might be looking for a mile now.’’
The winning time was a slick 1:07.7.