Cross Tasman storms home for O’Shea and Charlton

As another raceday comes and goes, Super Seth’s winners’ list continues to grow. On Wednesday, 3 July at Hawkesbury, it was Cross Tasman (ex Daffodil) who claimed victory by half a length at just his second start.

Guided by Kerrin McEvoy, the colt jumped cleanly from barrier one, carrying 59kg over the 1300m trip. He settled in a handy position on the rail behind the leader, Daisuki, before being asked for an effort at the 200m mark. He responded willingly, powering home to deny the favourite, Cinsault, in a strong finish.

Cross Tasman is trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton and races for an ownership group that includes Ron Finemore, who celebrated his first Group 1 winner with stablemate Linebacker – alongside Garry Chittick, the Doughtys, Mitchell Lenaghan, and Planette Thoroughbreds.

Purchased by John O’Shea Racing / Suman Hedge Bloodstock for $260,000 from Waikato Stud’s 2023 NZB Karaka draft, O’Shea and Charlton have now trained two of Super Seth’s four Group 1 winners: Linebacker, winner of the Randwick Guineas (1600m), and Maison Louis, winner of the Queensland Derby (2400m).

Cross Tasman is the sixth foal to race from the multiple Group 1-winning No Excuse Needed mare Daffodil, who has a Noverre weanling colt on the ground and is expected to foal to the exciting first-season sire this spring – it is the family of Atishu (Savabeel).