Saturday double for Ocean Park with Wanless colours to the fore
Racing returned to Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday, 1 February and it was Oceana Dream who closed out the metropolitan card with a determined victory over 1600m.
Bred and raced by Australian identities Judi and Ron Wanless, who race the dual winner Centennial Park (Super Seth) in Australia with Tony and Calvin McEvoy, the three-year-old filly made it back-to-back wins taking Ridefromtheashes right to the line two lengths on the field.
This was her second win for trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood who earlier in the week bought a yearling daughter of Ocean Park from Book 1 of the NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.
Meanwhile, in New Plymouth, the Tony Pike-trained Lanikai (ex Oahu) put in an enormous performance sitting mid-field throughout the 1800m journey to circle the field, balance up and power home recording the fastest sectionals in the final three furlongs.
The son of Ocean Park was a $165,000 graduate of the Waikato Stud draft bought by Pike Racing.
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It is not the easiest role, that of Chairman of our Thoroughbred Racing Board. Like all chairmanships, one’s mind is rarely not occupied with the responsibility. To our Chairman, I say thanks. A lifetime in the industry, Chairman of our largest club, it is difficult to identify someone more suited to the role.
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