Honest Ocean Raider well rewarded

Ocean Raider is rarely far off the action and he collected a deserved victory at Echuca on Saturday afternoon.

The well-related son of Ocean Park won for the third time in his career, which also features 10 top five finishes, when he accounted for his rivals over 1600 metres.

Prepared by Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock, Ocean Raider settled back of midfield for rider Brad Rawiller and they were on the move wide out across the top.

The Waikato Stud graduate finished off determinedly under 60kg over the closing 250 metres to land the thick end of the stake.

Ocean Raider was originally purchased off the Gavelhouse platform by Albury trainer Mitch Beer for $9,250 and then made $160,000 to the bid of Griffiths and Peter Ford Thoroughbreds at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

He is out of the O’Reilly mare We Love, also the dam of the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas placegetter Marine who is now racing in Hong Kong as Jumbo Future.

We Love, who is again due to foal this season to Ocean Park, is a half-sister to the Listed Widden S. winner Delta Girl and the family of Waikato Stud’s The Everest contender I Wish I Win and the G1 Livamol Classic winner Savy Yong Blonk.