Racing: Oaks win won't sway Gray to up number

Jockey David Walker is getting married next month. File Picture

Kevin Gray has already wound down his training career and victory in the New Zealand Oaks is not about to change that.

Gray on Saturday produced Legs to win the $300,000 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) for three-year-old fillies at Trentham and it represented one of his career highlights.

It was his second win at group one level. The first had been with Master Belt in the 2001 Two Thousand Guineas for three-year-olds at Riccarton, Christchurch.

Gray, who was the owner of top class miler Copper Belt, has been training at Waverley in south Taranaki for many years and for a time trained in partnership with son Stephen.

But with the departure of Stephen to train in Singapore several years ago, Gray has in recent times cut down on horse numbers and about 15 months ago took in Southland horseman Robert Patterson as a training partner.

Gray, 69, was also noted for producing a string of top apprentice riders but that has also been wound down.

"It's coming to an end with apprentices," Gray said. "I'm starting to look for retirement."

Gray said he was pleased Patterson was showing the same attitude to the young stable staff that he showed toward his apprentices of the past.

"He's great with kids," he said.

But it was Patterson's all round skills as a horseman, a follower of thoroughbred breeding and as a general hand that Gray had most appreciation for.

"There's not a thing Robbie can't do," Gray said. "He's a first class horseman, he's got a great knowledge of horse's pedigrees and he's an international [sheep] shearer."

Gray said the days of a big team of horses were gone.

"Once we used to have 55 horses in work. I don't want that any more."

Gray said he was contented to dabble in breeding and race their offspring.

"I got some nice mares to breed from and what I enjoy is racing their progeny."

It was the breeding aspect of his career that saw him become the trainer of Legs.

Legs was bred, and is owned, by Waikato Stud in Matamata and Gray said he was offered the horse because of the business he had with the stud in the past.

"I have got two or three of my mares in foal to their [Waikato Stud] horses, and I send a lot my clients' mares to them as well," Gray said.

Legs showed ability from the outset. She won her debut at Woodville on December 4 and six days later won the group three $60,000 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) for three-year-old fillies at Awapuni.

She went into Saturday's race having only once finished further back than second in six starts but, partly because of the presence of star filly Shikoba, she was allowed to start fifth favourite at odds of 14-1.

Manawatu jockey David Walker, who has ridden Legs in all her starts, settled her about four and five back on the inner.

Walker followed Out Of Align most of the way and it was Legs and Out Of Align who knuckled down to fight out the finish, with Legs gaining the upper hand near the finish to score by a neck.

It was a timely feature race win for Walker who is due to be married on April 8. He is engaged to former South Island jockey Vicky Roberts.

Walker, 30, a son of former successful jockey Jim Walker, recalled rating Legs as Oaks material when she won the Eulogy Stakes.

"I remember saying after the Eulogy that if I have ever ridden an Oaks filly this is it," Walker said. "She's just so economical. She gets back but she's got an awesome 600m sprint."

Mark Chittick, who operates Waikato Stud in partnership with his father Garry, was on hand for the win.

He said making the win all the more satisfying was that Legs had been breed by them, was by one of their sires Pins and Trentham was a venue he was very familiar with from his school days at nearby St Patricks College.

Said Chittick: "I spent four years just down the road in a class room reading the Best Bets and it's lovely to come down here and win a race as prestigious as the New Zealand Oaks."

Connections of Legs had to wait until after an inquiry for alleged interference had been concluded before the win was confirmed.

Chief stipendiary steward Noel McCutcheon lodged a protest on behalf of third-placed Falsetto, claiming Legs had denied the horse a gap early in the run home.

The protest was subsequently dismissed and McCutcheon later said he was about to tell the inquiry Falsetto's chances had not been unfairly affected by Legs when the inquiry was suddenly ended.

Falsetto did appear an unlucky runner after being held up for a run but Legs had kept a straight line all the way down the home straight. Falsetto finished three-quarters of a length from second.

Shikoba, a $2.40 favourite, finished eighth. She was less than four length from the winner at the finish. She got back in the running but after looming up out wide in the straight was not able to round off the effort.

- NZPA