OHOKA TEXAS WINS HEAT
Ohoka Texas will head to Winton next Sunday, October 16, on the back of two smart workout wins since teaming up with Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones.
The Christian Cullen-Millwood Touche entire is set to contest a 2-3 win junior drivers race over 1609m, with Regan Todd to steer the 4YO in search of a first-up penalty-free handicapping win.
Ohoka Texas resumes on a 3-win assessment, having already scored three penalty-free 3YO handicap concession wins last term.
He moved up in the open over the final lap and was a nose winner over former NZ Derby winner Captain Peacock on a rain-affected track at the Motukarara workouts on Saturday, October 8.
Ohoka Texas ran the mobile 2200m in 2:49.2, the leaders quickening over their last 800m in 59.8s and final 400m in 28.3s.
A week earlier he was all business on a fast track over his last 800m in 56.3s and final 400m in 27.4s at the Rangiora workouts on Saturday, October 1.
Last season’s Southern Supremacy Stakes Final winner led over the last mile of a 2600m stand workout and came clear to win by three lengths, pacing the full 2600m in a leisurely 3:28.4.
Sarkozy (Blair Orange), handy on the outer, then left in the open when River Black took over at the 600m, was a sound fourth in the one win and faster mobile 2000m heat.
Mister Presley, after leading at the 900m, then trailing River Black at the 600m, finished best to score by half a head in 2:30.3, the last 800m in 58.5s.
Princeton, driven by Mark, led at the 1200m, then was shuffled three deep at the 600m. He was less than three lengths from the winner at the finish, in sixth position.
Atombob had a quiet run back on the inner throughout in a non-win mobile 2000m heat won by front-running Texican in 2:33.5, the last 800m in 57.5s.
Two-year-old pacers, Glenferrie Patrol (Christian Cullen-Rondel Franco c) and McLeods Maiden (Mach Three-Shimmering Star f) were the only starters in a 2YO mobile pacer over 2000m.
McLeods Maiden led up for Blair Orange, with Glenferrie Patrol (Regan) trailing and getting up in the straight to win by half a head in 2:53.3.
The juveniles quickened over their last 800m in 63.8s and final 400m in 30.5s.
Glenferrie Patrol, bred and owned by Peter Chambers, is the third foal from Rondel Franco (Falcon Seelster-Reigning Franco), who won only twice in NZ but went on to make her mark in North America.
Rondel Franco retired with a 1:51.6 mie mark and a career record of 37 wins and 47 placings from 153 starts, for $684,003 in stakes.
By Jeff Scott