KEY POINTS:
Waikato trainer Colin Fache will break new ground when he lines up Kenadaad in the $125,000 Winter Cup next month.
The group three 1600m feature on the first day of the Grand National meeting at Riccarton, Christchurch, on August 4 will be Fache's first taste of South Island racing.
"I've never been on a racecourse in the South Island," Fache said yesterday.
Fache has previously been a part-owner of a horse that raced in the South Island but he was not the trainer and did not venture south to see the horse race.
The horse was Just Don't Know who won six races from 50 starts. Among the wins were two at Riccarton when racing out of the Ashburton stable of Kent Fleming for Fache.
The Winter Cup had been planned as Kenadaad's next start after Saturday's $100,000 Opunake Cup at New Plymouth but the horse's victory provided Fache with extra incentive to go south.
Apart from the winning stake of $62,500, the horse won free transport to Riccarton and, unless he earns a stake in the Winter Cup, free entry into the race.
The win represented a great homecoming for Fache who has spent most of his life in Taranaki.
"I spent a fair bit of time at Opunake and around the coast," he said. "It was good to back there and just have a runner in the cup."
Fache, 57, has been based at Te Aroha for 4 1/2 years after his partner received a job transfer.
He said he been with horses most of his life and had a stint of about five years working at the Ra Ora and Haunui studs.
Presently he had just the four horses in training but said about another six were to come into work when he returned from the Winter Cup.
Fache only took over the training of Kenadaad this year. But he has fashioned a very good record with the Istidaad 5-year-old gelding who was previously trained by Lance O'Sullivan.
Kenadaad has won five times for Fache from 11 starts and overall has a record of 30 starts for nine wins, two seconds and four fourths.
Fache swims Kenadaad three times a week as part of his training and he said that had helped the horse become more relaxed in both racing and training.
"Earlier on he would go to the front and go like mad. He's a lot more settled in his work too."
Kenadaad was ridden by Matamata apprentice Troy Harris but the Winter Cup mount is likely to go to Michael Walker.
Walker had ridden Kenadaad to win the $60,000 weight-for-age Challenge Stakes at Wanganui on June 2 but yesterday had a prior commitment to Don't Ya Lovett.
Don't Ya Lovett was the favourite but was pulled up during the running. It was subsequently found Don't Ya Lovett had suffered a haemorrhage.
Kenadaad raced just in behind the leader, went to the front early in the run home and kicked clear to score by two lengths. He returned a win dividend of $18.60.
Second was fifth favourite Zamfir and 1 1/4 lengths away third was third favourite Floydeboy. There was a long neck to Polish Princess, fourth, and Baltaine was fifth.
Second favourite El Perez was a disappointing 11th of the 14 finishers.
El Perez's rider Chris Johnson told stipendiary stewards he thought the horse was unsuited by the very heavy track conditions.
Troy Harris had his win on Kenadaad tempered when suspended on a careless riding charge in race two while jumps jockey Richard Enyon incurred the same fate in race one.
Both were suspended for three riding days and both begin their suspension after Wednesday's racing.
- NZPA
