Racing: Magical debut season continues

The magical debut season as a professional trainer continued for Lance O'Sullivan at Te Rapa yesterday.

The former champion jockey retired last season to pursue the next phase in his career as a horseman - head trainer for Wexford stables at Matamata.

It only takes one superstar equine to make owners, breeders and punters sit up and take notice of an up-and-coming trainer and O'Sullivan has that star in the form of brilliant race mare Calveen.

The 4-year-old Canny Lad mare was in a seemingly hopeless position with 300 metres to run in the $100,000 (Group Two) Travis Stakes.

She was trapped in a pocket but worked free and reeled in the leaders.

Calveen accelerated in a matter of strides to swoop on the leaders and cleared out at the finish to win by three-quarters of a length over Prize Lady with a further length back to Filey.

The victory in the Travis Stakes was the fifth Group race win this season for Calveen who has given O'Sullivan a dream debut as a professional trainer.

"I've said it once and I'll say it again. Cameron Lammas rode Calveen brilliantly as he didn't panic when he was trapped in a pocket and the mare really stretched out when she worked into the clear," said O'Sullivan. "This mare is a real professional because she wasn't at her best today. She's had a lot of racing this season and was a little tired.

"But once we saddled her up and Cameron jumped onto her back she really sparked up and lifted herself for this race.

"It's a funny situation I'm in, in my debut season as a horse trainer. The first Group race win was an amazing feeling but when you get a mare as good as Calveen, she is expected to win every time you take her to the races.

"This was her final race for the season and she'll now head out into the spelling paddock for a well-deserved break.

"I'm not sure what the owners want to do with her next season as they may decide to retire and breed from her.

"Or there is the possibility she may be transferred to an Australian stable for more racing opportunities in Australia," O'Sullivan said.

"Whatever decision the owners make will be fine with me as she has really helped the profile of our stable this season.

"A lot of credit for the way Calveen has performed this season must go to my brother Paul O'Sullivan, who told me last season before he transferred to Hong Kong to train that this mare was going to be a star.

"His judgment has been accurate and that's a pleasing aspect about how everything has gone this season."


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