Oh Romeo wins again, agents come calling
Buyers were on the phone to Rangiora trainer Nick Wigley soon after Oh Romeo crossed the line at Ashburton on Friday.
Oh Romeo gave his rivals a galloping lesson when winning by nine and a half lengths in a rating 65 1200m. He was untroubled to clock 1:11.65 on a wet track.
‘‘Being a 4-year-old, he needed to win today to get a rating 70 in Hong Kong,’’ Wigley said.
‘‘There’s been three or four agents ring since the race.’’
Oh Romeo, a gelding by Foreplay from the Viscount mare The Baroness, won his only other start by eight and a half lengths at Ashburton on July 31.
Wigley and his family bought Oh Romeo for $15,000 at a Melbourne sale, with the intention of selling him at the Karaka yearling sales.
The Wigleys changed their minds about the sale and decided to allow Oh Romeo more time to develop.
‘‘He’s pretty smart . . . he’s always been a good galloper,’’ Nick Wigley said.
Terry Moseley, who has ridden Oh Romeo in both starts, heaped praise on the rising star.
‘‘He’s potentially the best horse I’ve ridden since Courier Bay.’’
Courier Bay (17 wins) was an outstanding North Island sprinter in the 1980s.
Replique, who won the Southland Guineas for Wigley, is in training with Sydney trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Replique was second in a ninehorse trial at Randwick on August 19.
Meanwhile High Forty had a run on the flat at Ashburton to top him off for the Great Northern Steeplechase.
He ran sixth of seven in a rating 75 2100m. In the next two or three days, he will travel from Christchurch to the Auckland stables of Peter and Dawn Williams and Paul Richards.
The $125,000 Northern (6400m) is at Ellerslie next Saturday.
Apprentice Jacob Lowry is looking after High Forty on the trip for Wingatui trainers Brian and Shane Anderton.
The 10-year-old Danzighill gelding ran fourth in the Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton on August 13.
Brian Anderton trained Lord Venture to finish second to Rocky Crystal in the 1986 Northern. Lord Venture was fourth in the 1987 Northern.
Anderton started Bymai (eighth) in the 1985 edition.
Cristallo won for the Andertons in a rating 85 at Ashburton on Friday.