Wenn able to see Jochen’s victory up close
Trainer and part-owner, Terry Wenn, was able to get close to the action when his horse won at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Wenn was on the scene in no time aboard his Clerk of Course mount to have a chat with Sam Spratt after she rode his galloper, Jochen Rindt, to victory in the Perry Aggregates 2100m.
Named in memory of the 1970 Formula One champion who met his demise in a crash during practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Jochen Rindt is showing the speed, aggression and will to win that made his namesake famous.
Spratt and apprentice, Anna Jones on Mr Kanton, went to war in the early stages of Saturday’s race.
Under instructions
from Wenn “to stick to the fence and stay handy,” Spratt went full throttle as she aggressively resisted Jones and Mr Kanton’s challenge for the lead and the two horses put a break on their rivals as they went for glory.
Jochen Rindt had the greater will to win as he ran solidly to the line with Mr Kanton 3.3 lengths in his slipstream and a gap of five lengths to On Parole in third.
It was an impressive performance by the Ishiguru 6-yearold who is in career best form for Wenn, who from training a large team of gallopers in his heyday, occupies himself with just two horses these days.
“I’m semi-retired now and work just a couple of horses and my Clerk of Course job comes in handy and I enjoy it. It keeps me involved in racing and takes me to tracks from Taupo to Thames – the only two I don’t do in the area are Te Teko and Pukekohe,” Wenn said.
Jochen Rindt firmed Wenn’s belief he is a superior going left-handed with day’s win.
“Going right-handed he seems to go two strides forward and two sideways and that’s what he did when Sam went for him last start at Tauranga and he dropped out of contention.
“He won his previous start the left-handed way at Matamata by seven lengths and we will go that way next start at Hastings.”
Wenn and fellow owners Don Grayling and Mandy Walters have their eye on a $30,000 Rating 75 2000m race during the Hawke’s Bay spring carnival.
“I thought he was an out-and- conthat horse Satur- out mudder but I’m changing my opinion on that,” Wenn said.
“He has a high cruising speed and even in his work with me on board, he gets stronger the further he gets into his work and he’s got a bit of ticker.
“If he strikes a better track at Hastings it should be alright even though Te Rapa suited him perfectly on Saturday.”
Bred by Walters, Jochen Rindt’s dam is Kessem’s Dream, making him a full-brother to multiple Hong Kong and Macau Group I winner, Gurus Dream.
The other member of Wenn’s team is also a 6-year-old gelding, Undiscovered, by Duelled, he is the winner of three from 11 starts and has recently returned to work and “is just starting to warm up again” as he prepares for a return to the races.
Fairfax NZ