Racing: Outsider steals the show

Shaun McGarry with the White Robe Lodge trophy. Photo / Otago Daily Times

Shaun McGarry, the Wingatui trainer; 17-year-old apprentice rider Ryan Hurdle and the lightly raced 4-year-old Jaggard stole the show at the Otago Racing Club meeting on Saturday with success in the group three $70,000 White Robe Lodge Handicap.

Jaggard, at odds of 75-to-one, led most of the way and lasted by a nose to give Hurdle his biggest win.

Jaggard's 10th start gave him his third win. The 4-year-old Falkirk-Centastage entire is raced by McGarry, Mark Harper, Hugh Madden and Richard McKnight, all of Dunedin and Robbie Strawford, of Christchurch.

McGarry, Harper and Madden bought Jaggard in embryo with his dam, Centastage, in 2007 with the advice of Shannon pedigree expert Ann Meredith.

Centastage (by Centaine) had produced six foals.

"She was about a month off foaling so we sent her back to Falkirk," McGarry said. The resultant filly is a 3-year-old.

The owners have a 2-year-old colt by their own stallion Antrim Lad (by Soviet Star) out of Centastage, who is back running with that stallion.

McGarry won the White Robe Handicap with Mary Josephine (1997) and Rhu Lynch (1999) when both horses were 4-year-olds and the stake was $30,000.

- Otago Daily Times