By Mike Dillon
Tony Cole came close to withdrawing Royal Ways from the race he has wanted to win all his life, yesterday's $100,000 Mercedes-Benz Northern.
"I could have pulled him out at any point, I at no stage targeted this race with him," said Cole, slightly stunned after Royal Ways waltzed away with victory in our toughest steeplechase.
His late father Bill Cole, a great jumping enthusiast who died of cancer two years ago, tried for years to win the Northern.
"Imajason finished fourth and then fell for dad, Lady Edwina finished a fifth and a sixth, Denby Fox ran simply for the sake of him having a runner and Dad put Arceen in the race just so I could have a ride in it," said Cole.
Cole doubted Royal Ways was a certain starter in yesterday's feature, much less a likely winner when he stood in the Ellerslie birdcage after the chestnut finished second to Ocean Sport in the minor steeplechase on Satur- day.
"If the track becomes sticky I definitely won't run him," he said at the time.
The track could not have been stickier, but Cole's great mate and racing partner, Ray Knight, president of the NZ Jumping Association, intervened.
"Run him," Knight demanded, even though Royal Ways is one of the Cole horses Knight does not have an ownership share in.
"You're a cruel bugger," replied Cole.
The only cruelty was to the opposition when Royal Ways, winner of only $23,275 before yesterday, had the opposition beaten as far out as 1800m from the finish.
"I could see with a round to go he was travelling the best in the field," said Cole.
Knight admitted he had to keep Cole steady for most of the last lap.
"Tony said going up the hill: 'He's going to win, he's going to win.'"
"I said: 'Settle down.'"
Remarkably, Tony Cole feels as much pride in his considerable depth as a horseman as he does in winning one of the country's biggest races.
He was thrilled, rather than disappointed, that Lord Gyllene went on to win the English Grand National after he sold him.
"What could be better to buy a horse, develop it, sell it on and see that horse win a major race for its new owners, it's what Tony lives for," said Cole's wife Lu.
Tony Cole wasn't even prepared to say yesterday's win was a bigger thrill than Lord Gyllene's success, for which he received nothing.
His only disappointment was that his father wasn't at Ellerslie.
"But he knows about this, he's been watching from somewhere.
"A couple of things have happened lately and I've said to myself Dad's here overseeing this."
Remarkably, Royal Ways was Coles first runner in the legendary jumping fixture.
His champion jumper Dyna's Star was simply too classy and speedy for a race where stamina and sheer guts win over class every time.
But the horse they nickname "Speed", because he has none, outslugged his opposition in the Southern Hemisphere's toughest horse race.
"Dad would have loved this," said Cole.
Horse Racing: Upset win dedicated to father
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