Extra trip ideal for Ocean Park’s son
A step up in distance to 2000 metres was all Roller Coaster required at Coffs Harbour on Friday afternoon to post a deserved victory.
The Paul Shailer-trained son of Ocean Park had been a minor placegetter in his previous two appearances and those efforts saw the Waikato Stud graduate start a warm favourite.
“He has kept improving with each run and this time got to a suitable trip after hitting the line strongly when second at Newcastle,” stable representative Hamish Chapman said.
Roller Coaster, who also benefitted from a 6kg drop in weight, improved from the back near the turn and produced a stout finishing run in the straight for rider Andrew Mallyon to record the fourth win of his career.
He was bought out of Riversley Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale draft by Hughes Bloodstock for $80,000 and is out of the late Pins mare Curvy, whose three foals to race have all been successful.
Curvy was from the family of the Australasian and European Group 1 winner and successful sire Starcraft, a star graduate of Waikato Stud.
Oaks Day glory for Waikato Stud-bred Sulek
Waikato Stud enjoyed a special moment on Oaks Day at Flemington on Thursday, when the New Zealand-bred gelding Sulek – by Super Seth out the O’Reilly mare Tiff And Co, saluted on one of the biggest days of the racing calendar and in front of an international crowd. Bred by the farm in partnership with the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, Sulek took out the A$500,000 Cirka Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final (1600m) for the third and most lucrative win of his career.
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The Corner with Garry Chittick
And so, another Melbourne Cup has been run. Regretfully, Mary and I were not there. I have no idea how many we attended up until COVID, and I miss the Cup week. Victoria prides itself as the sporting capital of Australia; it may be, they certainly know how to create an event.
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