Ocean Park mare takes Cup

Poser emphasised the steely side of her nature on Saturday with a tough performance to land top honours in the Listed Rotorua Cup at Arawa Park.

The Waikato Stud graduate had previously finished a creditable seventh in the G3 Manawatu Breeders’ S. and appreciated the step up to 2200 metres to provide trainer and owner Kurtis Pertab with his first black type success.

“That’s a huge result although it was quite nerve wracking going into the race as I just wanted to make sure I had done my job as I had no doubts about her ability at this level,” he said.

“She had gone a cracker at Awapuni last time on a track that was just a little too firm, so with the weather we had leading in and the Heavy10 surface, there was quite a bit of confidence in the camp.

“She has just gone from strength to strength and thrived during her summer break. Last time in was her first real campaign and as she doesn’t cope with the hard tracks, I put her aside when she was happy and without any issues.”

A daughter of Ocean Park, Poser tracked the pace under Tegan Newman before making a move 600 metres from home and the mare dug deepest in the straight for her fourth career victory.

The five-year-old was bred and originally raced by Mary Chittick and had her first start for Pertab, who had broken Poser in, before she joined Matamata trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall.

She placed once and was subsequently sent to Andrew Carston’s Riccarton operation where she again failed to fire.

Poser was put up for sale via the Gavelhouse platform and Pertab purchased her for $500, which now represents an astute piece of business.

She is the first winner for the Pins mare Wannabe, who has most recently produced a pair of Ardrossan fillies and is in foal to Banquo, and she is a half-sister to the winner and G3 Sunline Vase placegetter Gold Spice.

Their dam Zoe Spice was successful on five occasions and is out of a half-sister to the G3 Cuddle S.
winner Rhysess.