By Mike Dillon
The sponsor of the Auckland Cup, businessman Eric Watson, calls on Sir Michael Fay to boost the prizemoney next year to the $1 million mark, as Mike Dillon reports
Sir Michael Fay asked Patrick Hogan to call him back when Hogan rang him in France on his cellphone from the victory dais after Irish Chance won yesterday's $350,000 Auckland Cup.
And he had good reason. Sir Michael, part owner of Irish Chance, had been hosting an all-night French New Year's Eve party at his new home and at 6am local time, a couple of minutes was probably necessary to gather his senses.
The news was the best Sir Michael could have hoped for, but what followed probably shook a few of the bubbles from the champagne.
Auckland businessman Eric Watson, sponsoring the Blue Star Auckland Cup for the first year, threw down a challenge to Sir Michael.
"Next year's Auckland Cup will be a minimum of $500,000," Watson told the large crowd at Ellerslie, "and I don't know where you are Sir Michael Fay, but why don't you come to the party and make it a million-dollar race."
Sir Michael had some hand in underwriting the first $1 million race at Ellerslie, won by Horlicks in 1990. He now has the ball, and presumably a whole heap of champagne glasses to wash, left in his court.
Watson said later that he was serious about his challenge. "I'll certainly be asking him to come to the party," he said.
Hogan, who must surely not remember the day he had, three years ago, asked leading trainer Colin Jillings to find him and Sir Michael a horse.
"I had three stipulations," said Hogan. "It had to be a two-miler, it had to be a fun horse and above all it was not allowed to be a commercial horse. If it was an entire it had to be gelded after we bought it."
Perhaps by fate, or by the trainer being kind to an owner he now calls a good mate, Jillings found a horse by Sir Tristram, the Irish stallion that put Hogan at the top of the ladder for life.
The perfectly named Irish Chance was at the time an unraced 2-year-old who had been bought by a Singaporean owner who was quitting his horses at auction because of financial difficulties.
Jillings went to $40,000, but could have gone higher.
"I've seen a horse that's taken my eye," Jillings told Hogan at the sale, "how much can I spend?"
"Do what you like, you know when they're too dear," said Hogan. "I actually liked him when he was sold as a yearling and I tried to get him to train," said Jillings, "so I was pleased to end up with him."
Hogan and his wife, Justine, watched the race outside the press room window yesterday and the cheer that went up left little doubt they owned the winner.
"I'd love to come back and win this race next year," Hogan said behind the celebration microphone.
Particularly if it was a $1 million race.
Horse Racing: Million-dollar Cup challenge
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