Ocean Park 3YO strikes again
Ocean Park’s son Ninja Derby produced a commanding performance to win over 1600 metres at Moe on Friday afternoon.
The improving three-year-old had shed his maiden tag at his previous appearance at Tatura and had no trouble adding to his record for trainers Ben and JD Hayes.
Ninja Derby, whose sister will be on offer at Karaka next month, was given a good run in the trail by rider Jake Duffy and he was able to angle the gelding off the fence before the turn.
They quickly reeled the leaders in and the Waikato Stud graduate coasted to the post to score by 2.25l.
“I was able to get off the rail and he’s got quite a good, sharp sprint,” Duffy said.
“He gained good confidence out of his last start and he brought that here today.”
Ninja Derby was bred by Waikato Stud with Peter and Kim McKay and Trevor Luke and was purchased by Lindsay Park at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for A$90,000.
His dam Pastrana is a daughter of Fastnet Rock and is from the family of the G1 Rosehill Guineas winner D’Argento and the G1 TJ Smith S. winner Sizzling.
Pastrana’s daughter will be offered through the Matamata farm’s draft as Lot 416 during the Book 1 session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.
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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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