By MIKE DILLON
You would have sworn it was the Melbourne Cup. Kerry Verner still thinks it was.
No one will see the Takanini trainer more excited than he was after winning the $100,000 State Insurance Easter Handicap with Zayyad.
He admits he's never been more excited.
And for lots of reasons.
The outstanding one was family. Verner says the Easter, more than any other race, is one event he identifies with.
His grandfather, Tom Verner, won it four times with the mighty Sleepy Fox 1944-45-46-47; father Ray produced a Turfcutter-Pheroz Jewel quinella in 1974 and Kerry won it with Ray's Hope in 1991.
Another strong buzz was winning it as an owner, not a trainer. Verner started training Zayyad, but the horse was such a handful at Takanini it was decided a quieter environment with co-owner and co-breeder Rex Sims in Pukekohe would be better suited.
That it has is a given. What also helped was a huge dose of patience. Zayyad, very tall and sparsely muscled early, is rising six and was having only his 10th race start on Saturday.
"Rex is the patient one," said Verner, "he'd wait forever for something."
Verner was also delighted the winning rider was Matthew Williamson, romantically linked to his daughter Katie.
Verner's only regret was that Rex Sims could not be at Ellerslie. The Pakakura dental technician, who prepared horses on the side, was at a family wedding in Wellington.
The wedding was in an area with no television reception and Sims had to settle for a radio broadcast.
"It wasn't until later when I drove down to Lower Hutt that I saw a replay on television.
"I'm pleased I knew the result by that stage otherwise I'm sure I'd have had a heart attack."
Sims says while Zayyad had been "awkward" early on, he has a nice nature and is without malice.
Verner and Sims are thankful for the work put into Zayyad by regular trackwork rider, former O'Sullivan apprentice Lee Massey, and Zimbabwean jockey Quinton Riddle.
And the thing they are most thankful for is that a veterinary inspection of Zayyad, on which a sale overseas for huge money 18 months ago hinged, failed to pass the horse.
Some things, says Verner, are just meant to be.
Racing: Easter Handicap is more than a race for Verners
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.