Ocean Park Trans-Tasman Double

What an afternoon for Ocean Park!

With Andrew Forsman’s 3yo Ocean Park filly Pine Leaf breaking her maiden by a widening four and a quarter-lengths in the last at Cambridge on Wednesday, celebrations continued as just ten minutes later it was the Chirs Waller trained Velaris who saluted at Canterbury with fellow Ocean Park runner I Park finishing a gallant third.

Off the back of finishing third over 1550m on two occasions, Pine Leaf appreciated the step up to 2000m for the first time on the Cambridge synthetic track.

Eventually settling in third position on the rail for jockey Joe Doyle, who had ridden Ardrossan 4yo Rima Rua Toru to a debut victory earlier in the day, Pine Leaf was getting the run of the race behind Laser Beam who went a few lengths clear.

As the field headed for home, Doyle came off the rail as Erase took up the running, but it wasn’t long before Pine Leaf took the lead.

Sprinting away with ease, the 3yo filly broke her maiden in devastating fashion and looks to have some promise going forward.

Bred by Andari Ltd and raced in partnership with J Roe, D Bragg, R Harvey and M Fluker, Pine Leaf is the first winner out of the Declaration Of War mare Declarada, from the family of Champion and multiple G1 winner Showella.

Across the Tasman at Canterbury racecourse, the Chris Waller trained Velaris jumped away as the favourite in the fourth of the day over 1900m and interestingly was one of three Ocean Park runners in the race.

A winner two starts prior at the track and trip, jockey Tommy Berry took the ride this time around, having been ridden by Nash Rawiller in his previous win.

Passing the winner’s post on the first occasion, Velaris was heading forward after jumping from the outside barrier, eventually tracking along behind his stablemate Kapakiri who had the lead.

With the field bunching up as they headed into the short Canterbury straight, the leader quickly put up the white flag as Velaris took over.

Holding off the late charge of the runner up Covert Thinking, it was the third race win for Velaris, while I Park was noted getting home well into third, another by Ocean Park.

Bred by Hallmark Stud Ltd and owned by Dungowan Racing, Velaris is one of three winners out of the Spectatorial mare Spectacular from the family of G1 Sistema Stakes winner Lickety Split.

The sire of 26 stakes winners including this season’s G1 NZ Oaks and G1 Australian Oaks heroine Ohope Wins, Ocean Park is standing for a fee of $15,000 plus GST, LFG,