 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2013
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
2013 VERO FLYING STAKES
Tony Herlihy still rates Chokin as the best 3yo he has driven, but Ohoka Punter is "working his way up there".
The Bettor's Delight colt stayed on track for the big three of Derbys when he easily accounted for the Vero Flying Stakes at Addington last Friday night.
The complete performance was such that his rivals must be shaking their heads as to how they can possibly beat him. Ohoka Punter had the speed to comfortably hold a hot lead from barrier one at the 1950 start, and after buttoning off in the middle, he sprinted home in 27.3 to easily hold the trailer Border Control and Mossdale Connor at bay. "He was actually switching off at times in the run home, but he kept finding when I asked," said Herlihy.
What makes Ohoka Punter so appealing is his versatility. He has speed and can stay and can be driven in front or in behind. There are no real flaws in his makeup, unlike some of his main rivals, which is what makes beating him so difficult. In eight races this season and since returning from an injury enforced spell, Ohoka Punter has only been upset in a lead up to the Victoria Derby.
Herlihy has trained some nice 3-year-olds before in Maheer Lord (Sires Stakes 3yo Final) and Bella's Boy (Breeders Crown 2yo, Vic Derby), with one a fine stayer and the other a sharp sprinter, but Ohoka Punter has gone past them. He has won New Zealand Derbys with Fly Like An Eagle and Badlands Bute, and Ohoka Punter was his fourth Great Northern Derby winner as a reinsman, but only Chokin still rates higher despite missing the latter half of his 3-year-old season.
"Being a Bettor's Delight, he would never really excite you in trackwork at home. But he's always felt like a good horse and all along I had hopes he would get to this level.Having that time off last year was probably a blessing in disguise as he feels a lot stronger now."
While Herlihy has had plenty of experience in the big time, Katie Carville, who bred Ohoka Punter from the Christian Cullen mare Millwood Minisota with her late husband Dave, has been in new territory lately. Carville has raced plenty of good horses, but none of them have actually been around for the Derbys, outside of Ohoka Texas starting a couple of years ago when never really a factor.
"Ohoka Arizona would have been the best one, but he broke down in the spring," said Carville. "The Victoria Derby was special because we were hopeful rather than confident, and it was a nice surprise. Tony was quietly confident before the Great Northern Derby, so we were more than hopeful there. But now the pressure is going to be on because everyone will expect us to win (the New Zealand Derby). That will be worse - I'd rather be the underdog."
Ohoka Punter must now also entering caculations as a sire prospect, although Carville has had no overtures from any of the leading studs as yet. "We stood Ohoka Arizona at Wai Eyre when Dave was around, but I wouldn't want that responsibility myself." Ohoka Punter will go straight into next week's $150,000 feature as the hottest favourite since Auckland Reactor five years ago, when he set a New Zealand record of 3:09.4. Especially as Franco Nelson was such a disappointment last Friday night.
The Christian Cullen colt had an early look before settling three back on the fence, but didn't yelp in the run home. "Craig (Thornley) said he felt flat all the way actually," said trainer Steven McRae. "I thought he was really good and better than he was in Auckland, so we didn't see that coming.
Border Control, Mossdale Connor and Elios, the latter competing well above his station, completed a Bettor's Delight rout of the Group 2 race, but perhaps only Classiesistar if he can draw to lead or Franco Nelson if he can rebound can upset the applecart next week. Mark Purdon will also have Arden Rooney on hand next week, as will Cran Dalgety with Bit Of A Legend, but not many will be betting against Ohoka Punter.
Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 27Mar13