Electric sprint to victory
Two weeks after being voted the champion two-year-old for 2011-12, Warhorse gave notice that he is set to continue in similar vein this season when he won the Bonecrusher Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The Jason Bridgman- trained colt’s second season had begun last month with a fourth placing on heavy ground in the Wanganui Guineas, but the better track conditions brought about an anticipated improvement in Warhorse’s form. While his late lunge to score by just a head was cutting it fine, he would have been unlucky not to have come away with the win.
Warhorse and rider Matt Cameron became victims of a muddling mid-race tempo when, after taking a handy position in the early rush, they became awkwardly placed behind what Matt referred to afterwards as a wall of horses. To his credit however, he didn’t panic, instead angling his mount across heels and pushing for the line to make up lengths with an irresistible final sprint.
While the margin was mere inches, the performance left the clear message that Warhorse had made the sometimes difficult transition from precocious twoyear-old to savvy three-year-old. It also confirmed plans to target the first classic of the season, the Gr. 1 Sothys New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in November.
Rock ’N’ Pop won the same race for Jason Bridgman last year and in the last decade Te Akau Stables has produced no less than four winners – King’s Chapel in 2003, Darci Brahma (2005) and Tell A Tale (2008) making up the quartet.
Warhorse will have one further start before his November 10 mission, with either the Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa on October 22 or the Wellington Guineas five days later at Trentham his options.
“As usual with our three-yearolds, the final part of his Guineas preparation will be at our Rangiora stable, so it would make sense to take in the Trentham race on the way down,” said Jason.
“The only thing that might put us off that idea would be if the track down at Wellington was to be a bog.
“I’m keen on racing on tracks with a bit of give in them but I wouldn’t want to give him a gut- buster on a really deep track.”
Similar unsuitable conditions had Jason in two minds whether to kick Warhorse’s season off in the Wanganui Guineas, but the calculated risk worked in his favour.
“Luckily the ground at Wanganui doesn’t get as deep and heavy as some other tracks and that race really brought him on,” he explains. “With the weather also having improved he’s really started to do well and actually put on five kilos since Wanganui.
“Physically he’s still a lightframed sort of colt but it’s good to see that he’s developing all the time. What he did on Saturday showed what an electric sprint he’s got at the end of race and after the way he handled 1400 metres I’m confident that if he relaxes like that he’ll be just as effective at 1600.”
Warhorse is owned by Singapore businessman Tang Weng Fei, who paid $100,000 for him as a Karaka yearling. Another graduate of that sale-ring that races in the same ownership is star Singapore galloper Better Than Ever, who set a record as the unbeaten winner of his first 12 races when trained by expatriate Laurie Laxon.
All told Better Than Ever won 16 races in Singapore, but after he bled in his most recent start in May the decision was made to send him back to New Zealand in the hope of resurrecting his career in the more temperate climate.
To that end Better Than Ever arrived at Te Akau Stables last week, completing something of a round trip having been reared just down Hinuera Road at Blandford Lodge before his sale for $80,000 as a yearling in early 2008.
“He’s a lovely quality horse, so it’s going to be interesting to see how he comes to hand,” said his new trainer.
“Given what he’s done in Singapore, if he did adapt he could have a good win or two in him this summer.”
Warhorse was one of just two horses that Jason sent to the races at the weekend and he came up with a perfect result when the other, Thrive, won at New Plymouth.
Despite not having raced for five weeks, Thrive still proved too strong in her 1800-metre assignment as she took her record to four wins from eight starts with a comprehensive performance.
While Warhorse has hit his straps, Matamata’s other leading two-year-old from last season, the John Sargent-trained Choice Bro is on the sideline recovering from a hairline fracture to a hind cannon-bone.
The injury became apparent after a recent gallop and while it is thankfully not life-threatening, the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes winner won’t be seen on a racetrack for the remainder of this year at least.
The news coming in from Melbourne on the Gary Hennessy- trained Ocean Park is all good a week after his superb Underwood Stakes victory. “Gary’s very pleased with how he’s come through the race,” wife Jenny reported from home base.
“Between the trip over and the race three days later he lost 10 kilos, but he had already put eight back on by the middle of the week.”
Ocean Park remains the equal second favourite for the A$3 million Cox Plate at the end of the month, albeit at slightly longer odds since glamour Sydney colt announced his arrival in Melbourne with an easy win at Moonee Valley last Friday night. He will have his final lead-up to the big race in the Caulfield Stakes on Saturday week.
The same day – October 13 – marks Matamata’s first big raceday of the season, Team Wealleans Matamata Cup day.
As naming rights sponsors, the Wealleans group of companies has taken a novel approach to its support of its flagship race.
The winner will earn more than the lion’s share of the $50,000 prize-money and the black-type status that goes with the Listed stakes event.
The bonus for the owners of the Team Wealleans Matamata Cup winner will be 100 tonnes of lime.
With a value of some $7000 when delivered and spread on pastureland, the bulk lime bonus prize is a neat fit with a significant provincial stakes race.
“Lime and fertiliser groundspreading is our core business, so adding 100 tones of lime to our Matamata Cup sponsorship underlines who we are,” said Wealleans Group principal Gavin Wealleans.
“We see it as defining what we do at the same time as giving something extra to racing.
“Not every racehorse owner is also a farmer but I’m sure we can work something out if needs be. And if the winner comes from outside our coverage area there won’t be any problem arranging to get the lime spread.”