Wellington Cup Triumph for Waisake (NZ)

Waisake (NZ) (Zed), who fetched a total of $29,100 from two trips through the Karaka sale ring, brought a long-range plan to fruition with a Taranaki triumph in Saturday’s $250,000 Group Three NZCIS Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham.

A son of the increasingly renowned stamina sire Zed (NZ), Waisake was a $1,100 purchase at the 2015 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale. He returned to Karaka in early 2016, where New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock secured him for $28,000. Saturday’s Wellington Cup was the sixth win of his 23-start career and lifted him to $220,045 in stakes.

Sharrock saw Wellington Cup potential in Waisake from an early age, and Saturday’s feature has been firmly circled on the calendar throughout the gelding’s 2020-21 campaign. He won three of his eight starts leading into the big race, including a dominant four-length romp in his final dress rehearsal at Trentham two weeks ago.

Waisake snuck into the Wellington Cup field on the minimum weight with 53 kilograms, and on Saturday he reigned supreme with a powerful staying performance.

Ridden by Sam Collett, the six-year-old settled in seventh place along the rail and was always travelling comfortably.

Collett moved him off the rail coming up to the home turn and started to get Waisake warmed up. The favourite gradually wore down the South Island hope Bluey’s Chance (NZ) (Remind) down the long Trentham straight, clawing his way past him and winning by half a length.

“There’s nothing better than when a plan comes together,” said Sharrock, who also shares ownership with 10 other individuals.

“It’s really good when you set them for a race and they get it done. That’s what I stay in this game to try to do.

“The last eight months have all been about getting him here. I knew I had him right today.

“She (Collett) saved all the ground and then got him off the fence at the right time. She didn’t really get at him until the last furlong (200m), and he was resolute. He’s a strong stayer.

“He’s still relatively lightly raced, and the Zeds seem to get better with age, so hopefully there’s still more to come.”

Collett has now recorded three wins from five rides on Waisake.

“My small part today is very minor compared to the months that go into getting a horse prepared for a race like this,” she said. “Full credit to Allan Sharrock for getting him here with that lovely light weight.

“The horse hit a little bit of a flat spot around the 1000-metre mark, but he was brave and mustered his way through it, which was a credit to his fitness.

“I was probably only confident of catching the leader in the last 50 metres or so, but the way he finished just shows what a genuine staying horse he is.”

Remarkably, the runner-up Bluey’s Chance was bought for only $500 at the 2015 South Island Sale. He has now had 47 starts for five wins, eight placings and $97,800 in stakes.

Vendor	Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale: Little Avondale Stud Festival Sale: Ainsley Downs Stud
Purchaser	Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale: Mr PA Willetts (Auckland) Festival Sale: Mr SA Sharrock (New Plymouth)
Breeding	Zed – Kincia
Sale	Lot 10, 2015 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale, $1,100 Lot 1316, 2016 Festival Sale, $28,000
Bred by	Miss L E Jamieson