Pondarosa out to defy the odds at Ellerslie
PONDAROSA MISS has all the odds stacked against her at Ellerslie today – except on the tote.
On paper, the Te Awamutu mare has little in her favour for the weight-for-age Zabeel Classic (2000m).
The four-year-old is making her open company debut, has never raced past 1600m and has had only one race in the past four months.
She is the least experienced and lowest-rated horse in the field and would have been close to the minimum had she been entered for the rating 85 2100m.
Yet she opened as a $5.50 favourite for the Group I Zabeel and also heads the market for next month’s Wellington Cup, though the Trentham feature is an unlikely target.
Her odds reflect some stunning efforts coming through the grades and she has also captured the attention of punters after recovering from life-threatening injuries, inflicted just four months ago.
The High Chaparral mare suffered serious fractures when kicked in the head at Hastings on August 30. She had clipped heels, following interference, and stumbled, dislodging her rider, and was struck in the head by the horse immediately in front of her.
“When she came back to the tieup stalls I didn’t think there was too much wrong with her,’’ trainer Peter Hollinshead said. “She had blood coming from her nose but was moving reasonably freely.
“Then I took the blinkers off her and she had a great hole in her forehead. It was a bit of a shock to be honest. You could put your fist in [the hole]. It was weird.’’
There were concerns that Pondarosa Miss would not survive her injuries but she was operated on the following day and made a remarkable recovery.
“The head healed up really well and was right within six weeks,’’ Hollinshead said.
“But she also had strained ligaments in her back and hocks and they took longer to come right.’’
The mare’s recovery was aided by her impressive temperament.
“She’s so quiet that when they operated on her she was only sedated, rather than put right out.’’
Pondarosa Miss returned to the races at Te Rapa a fortnight ago and demonstrated that she had made a full recovery, both mentally and physically, with a facile win in a rating 85 1600m.
She took an inside gap and sprinted clear by almost three lengths, without being asked for her best by rider Noel Harris.
“She has thrived since race,” Hollinshead said.
“She came home and cleaned everything up [in her feed bin]. She has had a couple of easy gallops since and looks pretty fit to me.
“I don’t think we can have her much better. She’s second up, after four months, over 2000m but she seems to take everything in her stride.
“She’s not a gross horse and doesn’t need much [work] to get fit. She blew pretty hard after Te Rapa and has to improve with the run.
“She’s pretty smart and can run a quick last 600m. She’s got that turn of foot you need to be a good horse.
“We have always liked her and – so far – every time the pressure has gone on, she has stepped up another notch.’’
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While Hollinshead agreed that his rising star might not represent great value for the Zabeel at $5.50 – “I think she should be around $10’’ – he expects her to run well.
“We have had this race in mind for a while, provided she came through Te Rapa OK.
“Luck in the running will be important but if she has a good run, she won’t be far away. I would like to think she can finish in the first three.’’
Hollinshead, 72, bred and owns Pondarosa Miss but races her on lease with a large group of owners.
The mare attracted a $450,000 offer before she had even won a race but is unlikely to be sold.
“I don’t think I could sell her, even if I wanted to,’’ Hollinshead said. “Too many people are having too much fun with her.
“But I don’t want to sell her anyway. Money isn’t everything, especially at my age. I want to breed from her myself and I’m not going to have many more [horses].’’
A good run by Pondarosa Miss in the Zabeel would also enhance the value of her yearling half-sister, by Rip Van Winkle, who will be offered at Karaka next month.
Pondarosa Miss is a sister to Ecuador, who showed high promise for Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse before injury prevented him racing last spring.
A $360,000 yearling buy, Ecuador has had five wins and five seconds from 12 starts and finished a close sixth in the 2013 Epsom Handicap.
Waterhouse also bought a half-sister, by Rip Van Winkle, at Karaka last summer.
Hollinshead will wait till after today’s race before making firm plans for Pondarosa Miss.
But if the mare performs up to expectations, she might head to Trentham for the Thorndon Mile, as a leadup to the Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa.