| FEATURE RACE COMMENT |
YEAR: 2012
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Owners Clive and Rona McKay had a speedy return on a horse they bought on Friday. On the morning of the premier meeting at Addington they paid Spreydon Lodge for a half-share in the 2-year-old Franco Nelson, and by the time the night was over, they had part of the payment back.
A colt by Christian Cullen, Franco Nelson had made a stunning debut a fortnight earlier, beating Border Control and Sir Tosti Mach. The Purdon-Payne pair were in again, badly off at the start, but the big danger was Ohoka Punter, off the pole, and Franco Nelson was drawn to follow him out. That's what happened, but instead of Okoka Punter doing enough to hold him out, he didn't.
Franco Nelson worked up the passing lane for Craig Thornley to win the Avon City Ford Welcome Stakes by half a head, and the McKays were $11,000 better off. The money should keep coming because driver Craig Thornley said he would only keep getting better. "It was a big training effort by Steven (McRae) to win a Group race at just his second start, but the horse is very good. Ohoka Punter got a length and a half on me turning in, but I didn't panic, and just chased him up."
While Thornley is uncertain what Franco Nelson would do next, he thinks it won't be very much in the short term. "I know Steven has the Breeders Stakes in mind. He is a very good trainer, and if he has a plan he sticks to it."
After leaving Franco Nereus, Fanco Noriega and four others before Franco Nelson and a filly by Live Or Die since, Notafella Franco was offered at a Spreydon Lodge dispersal sale a year ago in foal to Badlands Hanover where McRae, Andrew Stuart and Gareth Dixon bought her for $8000. The colt foal was born dead, and she was not served this season.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 4Apr2012
YEAR: 2013
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
YEAR: 2013
2013 MUSCARA STANDARDBREDS PROUD SPONSOR NZ DERBY
Border Control got the best of a tight struggle with Bit Of A Legend to win the Muscara Standardbreds Proud Sponsor New Zealand Derby at Addington last Friday night. Given the perfect trip from the prefect draw, Border Control led for nearly a lap before driver Mark Purdon gave it up to Dexter Dunn.
It was a predictable move because Dunn was the one to beat with Bit Of A Legend and there was little doubt he'd hand it up. With the favourite Ohoka Punter having to make ground on them from well back, they were in good shape to run the last lap as Dunn pleased. Ohoka Punter was a safe third and Mossdale Connor came on from three deep to beat Scotlynn Jiggs for fourth.
It was another creditable result for Bettor's Delight, who sired the first four home from five starters, and it was the ninth New Zealand Derby win for Mark Purdon as a driver, following Auckland Reactor, Likmesiah, Jack Cade, Young Rufus, Bogan Fella, The Court Owl, Il Vicolo and Mark Roy. As well, he has co-trained Derby winners, Fly Like An Eagle and Sleepy Tripp.
Border Control is raced bu Phil and Glenys Kennard, Neil Pilcher, Gavin Douglas, Phil and Margaret Creighton and Kevin Riseley, an Australian who took a shine to the horse when he was being sold and asked to be included in the partnership.
The winner of 10 races and a maiden a month or so back, Border Control may well have his next race in Western Australia. Purdon said there was a direct flight to Perth for the race on April 14, and the stake of $250,000 made it worth considering. "He really is the perfect racehorse," said Purdon. "He's got the manners and the travelling won't bother him."
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 10Apr2013
YEAR: 2013
2013 NEVELE R FILLIES SERIES FINAL
Adore Me moved into Horse of the Year contention with another crushing display in Saturday's $150,000 Nevele R Fillies Series Final No.35 at Addington.
With this weeks New Zealand Oaks and a Jewels Diamond seemingly at her mercy, Adore Me can finish the season unbeaten in 11 races against her own sex and only beaten by Ohoka Punter in the Great Northern Derby, a performance which only earned her further admirers given very few fillies have even taken on the colts in modern times.
Two further Gr1 successes in coming weeks would give Adore Me a total of five and stakes in her first campaign of almost $500,000. She has also claimed a New Zealand mile record for a filly of 1:52.4.
Off colour after the Derby and freshened, Adore Me has returned to racing again looking invincible. Despite drawing an outside gate in the Fillies Final, Mark Purdon was able to treat his opposition with contempt. Eased away into midfield as Kabet took them through a fast lead time, Purdon was on the move with a lap to run but Delightful Christian and Maurice McKendry had designs on getting to the front first. This had Adore Me working three wide in the open for a good way, but she was always travelling too well and had put Delightful Christian away with 700m to run.
With a last quarter in 27.6, Adore Me was always clear in the run home and she crossed the line with over three lengths to spare from stablemate Whisper Jet, who poked between runners after a good trip from Tony Herlihy. There was no loitering along the way and Adore Me's 2:20.6 was a mile rate of 1:56 and not far off Carabella's race and national record.
Purdon has won this race with O Baby and Secret Potion, and there has been other top fillies through the stable such as Twist And Twirl, Lancome, Meredith Maguire, Imagine Me and Imagine That to name just a few in recent times, but Adore Me is clearly in a class of her own. The extra distance of this week's Oaks will only suit Adore Me more than any of her rivals and then it will just come down to a fitting season finale at Ashburton.
Raced by her breeder Charlie Roberts along with his daughter Mary and son-in-law Paul Kenny, who are also racing half-sister Abide With Me on lease with Stephen Reid, Adore Me has also taken the record of her dam Scuse Me to another level when that BG's Bunny mare had seemingly done quite enough. Adore Me is her 10th foal and 10th winner, with eight in 2:00 having also included Imagine Me. Adore Me is Scuse Me's first foal by Bettors Delight however and she has since produced three more, including another filly this season.
Whatever the outcome of the Horse of the Year poll, where Adore Me will vie with Terror To Love, Stig and a late charge from Christen Me, the Broodmare of the Year is also looking a one-horse race for Scuse Me. She also happens to be the grandam of G1 winners Hands Christian and Christen Me and the third dam of good filly Splendour and juvenile Maxim, who both competed in Saturday's features as well.
Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 15May2013