It was seen as a positive move by trainers and jockeys alike as it meant that, even under trying circumstances, there would be enough senior jockeys to go around.
It seemed to work reasonably well for a few years, with just the Hawke’s Bay Cup meeting and Te Rapa on the same day in 2018 and Hawke’s Bay and Riccarton in 2019.
Covid meant that the Hawke’s Bay Cup meeting didn’t go ahead in 2020 and in 2021 it clashed only with Te Rapa.
However, for some unknown reason, last year it was back to a three-way clash with Te Rapa and Riverton and next Saturday will see it again up against Te Rapa and Riccarton.
To make things even worse all three meetings next Saturday are classed as Feature Racedays, with two Listed stakes races to be run at Hastings and two at Riccarton and a $35,000 open handicap over 2100m at Te Rapa in direct competition with the Listed $100,000 Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m).
Compacting the problem is the shortage of open-class middle-distance horses now competing in New Zealand. Only 14 horses contested last year’s Hawke’s Bay Cup, with four of those ridden by apprentices and three others by jockeys who are not now riding. Such was the lack of depth in the race that the weights had to be raised by one kilogram.
There is a programming committee, which sets out the season’s race dates, and it seems to get things wrong year in and year out. Not only is there an unnecessary clash of gallop race meetings on the one day but, time and time again, there are two or three gallop meetings in the same area scheduled too close together.
A prime example of this is next weekend when the Manawatu Racing Club will stage a Feature Raceday the day before the Hawke’s Bay Cup meeting, with its main race being the Group 3 $85,000 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m).
Hastings-trained Hunta Pence carried topweight of 60kg in last year’s Hawke’s Bay Cup and the impost proved too much for the then 9-year-old, that battled gamely to finish sixth.
That was the fourth consecutive time The No Excuse Needed gelding had contested the feature. He finished third in the race in 2018, fourth equal in 2019 and seventh in 2021. Covid restrictions meant the race was not run in 2020.
Trainer Patrick Campbell said this week that Hunta Pence is on the brink of retirement and he would like to make next Saturday’s home track cup his swansong.
The horse only managed to beat two home in last Saturday’s Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) but had his excuses. He was caught three and four-wide in the early running and, in a muddling run race, rider Mareana Hudson had no option but to take him to the front with 1200m to run. However, he was immediately pressured by three other horses and it was little wonder he lacked a finishing burst.
Campbell said he will see how Hunta Pence progresses over the next few days before confirming a start in next Saturday’s Hawke’s Bay Cup.
The tough campaigner is the veteran of 81 career starts and boasts a record of 11 wins, six seconds and four thirds. Campbell also shares in the ownership of the gelding that has amassed more than $325,000 in stake money.
His biggest wins have been in the Group 3 $100,000 Manawatu Cup (2300m), Listed $50,000 Wanganui Cup (2040m) and $65,000 Taupo Cup (2000m).
At this stage, eight races are programmed for Hastings next Saturday, although this number could increase. The first race is timed for 12.17pm.
Besides the Listed $100,000 Hawke’s Bay Cup, the other main races will be the Listed $65,000 Power Turf Sprint (1200m) and the $50,000 Poverty Bay Cup (2500m).
There will be a $15 general admission charge, with $5 of this being a donation to the East Coast Rural Support Trust to assist the rural community of the East Coast in their cyclone recovery.
Doyle vows to return to NZ
Irish jockey Joe Doyle is heading home after breaking through for his first Group One victory, but he’ll be back in July to have a go at a full New Zealand season.
Doyle has been a popular addition to the New Zealand jockey ranks since his arrival in mid-November. He sits 29th on the premiership with 19 wins, but more importantly, he’s scored three black-type victories and is one of just 15 riders whose mounts have earned more than $1 million for the season.
He broke through at the top level with a well-judged ride aboard Pignan in last Saturday’s Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), on what turned out to be his last day of riding before returning home.
“I was going to ride next weekend, but unfortunately I picked up a suspension for a ride in the New Zealand Oaks.” Doyle said.
Doyle came to New Zealand on the suggestion of Samantha Finnegan, a sister of Foxton trainer Chrissy Bambry, to ride the New Zealand summer and early autumn before returning to fulfil some commitments in Ireland.
However, he will be back, most likely in July, for an attack on the entire 2023-24 New Zealand racing season, which begins on August 1.
“I don’t want to commit to three years or anything like that, but I will be here for a full 12 months when I come back,” he said.
“My agent Kevin Booth is pretty keen to push it as hard as we can and go hard for a full year, to see how much ground I can cover, ride as many horses as I can, and hopefully pick up a few nice ones on the way.”
One of the “nice ones” Doyle is looking forward to partnering with Pignan. Doyle picked up the ride through Booth’s work when Pignan made her third start, a win at Trentham on December 17, and he’s now had four rides on the Lisa Latta-trained filly for two victories and two black-type thirds.
“We always said that when we got her up to 1400m she would excel, and I know her well enough now to be able to keep a lid on her down at the start.”
Doyle picked his path nicely aboard Pignan. He had her trailing the leader Trobriand, and while most riders were going wide in search of better ground, Doyle made his challenge on the inside of horses.
“By that stage of the day it was pretty much the same everywhere across the track,” Doyle said. “They weren’t the best conditions, it was quite loose on top, so it was more important to keep the horses balanced rather than picking a particular lane.”
Doyle, who walks about 54.5kg and got down to 53kg for the Awapuni meet, made an immediate impact in New Zealand, winning his first two rides aboard Buccheri and Golden Kiwi at the tight Rotorua track.
Despite the fast start, he found there was still a bit of a learning curve in New Zealand.
“The tracks are very different. I’m used to big hills and wide tracks, even up to 1400m on straight tracks. It took a bit of getting used to, but when the horses are used to it, it makes it easier,” he said.
“Riding horses for that turn of foot, means getting into a position when you’re turning in. You have to look at each race individually, and if you don’t think you have enough speed to be up there at the start, you have to think about what horses will help bring you into the race.”
In addition to the Sires’ Produce, Doyle also scored black-type victories aboard Devastate in the Group 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki in November and on Leaderboard in the Group 3 Wellington Cup (3200m) in January.
Pinarello has a pelvis injury
Group 1 winner Pinarello, that tailed the field home in last Saturday’s Group 2 Awapuni Gold Cup, was found to have suffered a hairline fracture of his pelvis and faces an extended time on the sideline.
The son of Tavistock will be joined in his spelling paddock at Cambridge Stud by Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2000m) winner Aquacade.
“Pinarello will require four to six months on the sideline, where he will join our Avondale Cup winner Aquacade,” Cambridge Stud said.
An examination of Aquacade following her fourth placing in the Auckland Cup revealed a chip in her near fore fetlock which was removed arthroscopically last week.
“Both horses are expected to make a full recovery and we are still optimistic about chasing big race targets with them next season,” Cambridge Stud said.
