WS-bred Cross Tasman eyes Cup Day riches after Randwick win

Waikato Stud-bred Cross Tasman produced the best performance of his career at Randwick on Saturday, 17 October, overcoming a tough run to win the HKJC World Pool (BM88) over 1400m on TAB Everest Day.

The five-year-old Super Seth gelding started a short-priced favourite after strong placings at both of his earlier runs this preparation. He was stuck four-wide from barrier 10 and covered a lot of extra ground. Even so, he loomed up outside the leaders at the turn and kicked clear in the straight to score by a length and three-quarters for Zac Lloyd, who rode a treble on the day. Lloyd credited the addition of blinkers and said the horse was simply too good for his rivals.

Trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, Cross Tasman has now won five races and placed six times from 12 starts, with earnings of A$392,825.

Bigger targets are now in sight. Charlton has named the A$750,000 Little Dance (1600m) at Randwick on 3 November as the likely next start. The gelding qualified for that race when he placed first-up in the Goulburn Cup. The stable is also keeping the Five Diamonds (1800m) in mind, though that would mean backing up five days later.

Cross Tasman was bred and sold by Waikato Stud. He sold through the 2023 NZB Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale for $260,000 to John O’Shea Racing and Suman Hedge Bloodstock.

His dam is Daffodil, a tough and versatile mare who won three Group 1 races, including the Australian Oaks (2400m) and the New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). Cross Tasman is another fine advertisement for our beloved Daff.

Everyone at Waikato Stud congratulates the connections and looks forward to following Cross Tasman through the spring.