ASHBURTON WINTER CUP FOLLOWS QUEENSLAND OAKS SUCCESS
Christchurch owners, Hamish Scott and Dr Kim Lawson, followed up their Gr. 2 Queensland Oaks victory on Saturday night with the Andrew Stuart stable, by also sharing in the success of Sunday Ashburton winner, Si Si Senior, for the Mark Jones stable.
The owners co-bred and co-race $75,540 Queensland Oaks winner Sociable, who after being run down in front a week ago, was driven with a sit this week by Luke McCarthy.
Sociable, a daughter of the unraced Buy Kiwi Made (Presidential Ball-Kiwi Express), a half-brother to top mare Kiwi Ingenuity (1:52.1), charged home with a well-timed finish to win the Oaks by half a neck in a 1:55.9 rate for the 2138m.
Sociable had earlier run fifth in the Victorian Oaks and had won the Redcliffe Oaks on her Australian sojourn.
The filly, who won both her NZ starts impressively, before venturing to Australia, has now five of 11 starts for $85,304.
Si Si Senor, who finished best from the trail on Sunday for driver Sam Ottley in the R40 and faster Ashburton ITM Winter Cup, was second-up since resuming from a January let-up.
The three-year-old Courage Under Fire gelding was notching his second win in 11 starts under group ownership, which also includes Gavin Saunders (who raced 1989 NZ Cup winner Inky Lord), wife Sherryn, WDC 03 Ltd (trainer Mark Jones’ business), Pete Smith, L Burney and Mark Calcott.
Si Si Senor, who looked set for a comfortable win until Boomer Bailey (Dexter Dunn) had other ideas after being headed, did enough to hold by a nose in 3:04.8 (2400m), the leaders last 800m in 55.9s.
He’s bred to be above average, being by a former champion youngster and a brother to smart winner Mongolian Storm (1:54.5, six wins & $98,904).
Their dam Zoe Maguire (Falcon Seelster-Pure Prestige) is an unraced mare from a half-sister to U Legend (1:55.8, US, six NZ wins)/
Pure Prestige is from the unbeaten Windshield Star, whose three wins included the 1990 Cheviot 2YO Fillies Stakes.
This is the same family as other former smart Canterbury winner Brilliant Strike (1:56.2, 10 NZ wins from 35 starts) and Double R (1:51.2, US).