Ocean Park (NZ) Wins NZB Weight-for-Age Championship
15 October 2012
It came down to a photo finish in the A$400,000 Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) to decide the winner of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Caulfield Spring Weight-for-Age Championship with the kiwi bred Karaka graduate Ocean Park (NZ) coming out on top.
The Gary Hennessy trained Ocean Park (Thorn Park x Sayyida by Zabeel) had to beat rival Sincero (Umatilla) by two places in order to capture the Championship and did so with a brave three-quarter length victory to take 10 Championship points, with Alcopop (Jeune) racing into second place taking 8 points and Sincero finishing in third earning 6 points.
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NZB Caulfield Spring Weight for Age |
“We were confident going into the race but we thought we only had to win to take the Championship so it made it a tight finish in the end,” commented trainer Gary Hennessy.
“We didn’t have the horse screwed down for the race, we wanted to use it as a stepping stone for the Cox Plate and he had a good blow afterwards. He doesn’t need a lot of work and Glen (Boss) said he could have gone straight to the Cox Plate after his Underwood win.
“We now head to the Cox Plate which is shaping up as an interesting race with Pierro and More Joyous getting beaten on the weekend and we will meet Green Moon who is racing in top form.
“It has been an amazing last couple of months and everything has gone to plan so far. The horse has such a great attitude and he continues to do well so hopefully we can continue from here.”
A four-year-old son of Thorn Park, Ocean Park is unbeaten in three Group 1 races this season with his first coming in New Zealand fresh up in the Makfi Stakes. His two Group 1 wins in Australia – the Group 1 Underwood Stakes and Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Stakes – where both legs of NZB’s Caulfield Spring Weight for Age Championship, giving Ocean Park an unbeaten total of 20 points.
In the closest of margins, the Stephen Farley trained Sincero finished one point behind in second place with 19 Championship points. He raced well during the Series winning the Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes fresh up earning 10 points and earned 3 points for his fifth in the Underwood Stakes.
Credit also goes to the Championship third placed Second Effort (Mossman) with 16 points who led the Series right up to Saturday’s race with victory in the first leg, the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes and running third in the New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes.
2012 marks the second year New Zealand Bloodstock have sponsored the Caulfield Spring Weight for Age Championship and Ocean Park has etched his name beside the kiwi bred Zabeel mare Lights of Heaven (NZ) who won it last season. Ocean Park’s connections received trophies to the value of $25,000 for winning the Championship.
Ocean Park was bred by Trelawney Thoroughbreds and was purchased by Gary Hennessy from Trelawney Stud for $150,000 at the 2010 Karaka Select Sale. Raced by Hennessy in partnership with Hong Kong owners Andrew Wong and Steve Yan, the son of Thorn Park has now won 6 of his 10 starts, three at Group 1 level, for over $940,000 in stakes.
To view the final points table for New Zealand Bloodstock’s Caulfield Spring Weight for Age Championship, click here.