Consecutive G2 Victories For Ocean Park’s Ohope Wins

Having won the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) on New Year’s Day, global thoroughbred breeders Yulong purchased into Ocean Park filly Ohope Wins with the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott progressed even further, winning Saturday’s G2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2100m) at Te Rapa.

One of two G2-winning 3yo fillies for Ocean Park after the earlier victory of Autumn Glory in the Waikato Guineas (1600m), the progressive filly Ohope Wins completed the perfect dress rehearsal for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

Rider Joe Doyle employed similar tactics, dropping the filly to the rear from a wide barrier and lobbing along in a good rhythm as Fly Zenno set up a muddling early pace before being joined by Chilling Out, who had pulled her way forward after failing to settle when caught out wide.

With 700m to run, Doyle and Ohope Wins were still back last but looking to get to the outer in the home straight.

Just as the leading pair looked to have the finish to themselves, Ohope Wins hit overdrive and swept past them both to defeat Single Red by half a length with Tajana a further neck back in third.

“It was some performance as she has given them all a big start,” O’Sullivan said.

“Coming to the corner I thought she was going to have to be pretty good and when Joe got her to the outside and gave her clear air she showed she is a filly well above average.

“The plan has always been to go to the Oaks and we certainly won’t be changing that plan.

“She looks like she will be very competitive in that and I’m thrilled for Yulong who have come on board.

“She is fit so it will be just maintenance work now as she is ready (for the Oaks).

“We have always thought she would come into her own over a middle distance and she has a beautiful action and one we have always liked.”

Doyle thought he might be running for minor money early in the run home but praised the filly for her tremendous will to win.

“I was thinking wow all the way up the straight as they put the blinkers on her today and she travelled a lot better,” he said.

“We still had an awful lot of ground to make up, and I did think she might run a nice third or fourth and we would be happy, but she just picked them up and she is a bit of a superstar.

“She has the right attitude and is very brave. She had been lazy in the past and we knew we would just take our time and I didn’t have to get serious until the last 100m where she was always going to win.”

Ohope Wins has collected two victories from just five starts and more than $319,00 in prizemoney and goes into the G1 New Zealand Oaks on 21 February as the favourite.

Bred and raced by Bill Gartshore and his family under their Gartshore Bloodstock banner, Ohope Wins is out of the Redoute’s Choice half-sister to New Zealand Horse of the Year and five-time G1 winner Jimmy Choux.

Waikato Stud will present a colt by Ocean Park out of their two-time Group 1 winner Never Been Kissed at the 2026 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 463 – click to view.