The value of raceday experience and a touch of class saw two-year-old Out Of The Blue retain his unbeaten record when taking out the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (800m) contest for the juveniles at Riccarton.
The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-prepared son of Tivaci had looked good when winning on debut over the same distance at the venue last month and punters were keen on his chances again as they sent him out a red-hot $1.45 favourite in the hands of Opie Bosson.
Bosson had the gelding away nicely and sat outside the well backed ($4.20) trial winner Outback Girl as the pair dominated proceedings from in front throughout.
Despite Outback Girl giving her all in the home straight, Out Of The Blue looked to have her covered as he eased clear in the final 100m for a tradesman like one length victory.
“It was another really professional effort to win again today,” Walker said.
“It was a good ride of Opie’s to get across, kept him nice and balanced the whole way up the straight, and the beauty of that win means he’s assured of getting into the Karaka Million in January at Ellerslie.
“The trip down south to our stables at Riccarton has helped the horse to grow up mentally and Hunter (Durrant) and the team have done a really good job with him.
“He’ll go back north, now, for a short break and he’ll concentrate on getting ready for the Karaka Million. He’s certainly a very nice horse in the making and doing everything asked of him.”
Raced by the Te Akau Tangerine Army Racing Partnership 1, Out Of The Blue was a $65,000 purchase by David Ellis CMNZ from the Waikato Stud draft during Book 1 at Karaka earlier this year.
He is out of the Group Three winner Cornflower Blue and from an extended family that includes multiple Australian Group One winners Tiger Tees, and Terravista and the New Zealand champion two-year-old of 2007-2008, Il Quello Veloce.
He has now won over $37,000 in prizemoney which places him second on the current order of entry for the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on 24 January next year.
The Te Akau Racing team tried hard to make it a winning inter-island double with debutant Sword Of Stars starting the $2.90 second favourite in the Eagle Technology 1100 (1100m) at Ellerslie just ten minutes later, but had to settle for the runner-up position as race favourite Harvey Wallbanger ($2.70) scored decisively in the opening race of that meeting.
The Tony Pike-trained Home Affairs gelding had looked a handy customer when winning nicely over 950m at the Waipa trials on 9 October and produced a similar effort first time to the races in the hands of Jasmine Fawcett.
Fawcett took the initiative at the 700m when the early speed slackened, to send Harvey Wallbanger around to sit outside pacemaker Shambo Jack before easing clear early in the run home.
Chased hard by Sword Of Stars, Harvey Wallbanger never shirked his task as he maintained a strong gallop to open his winning account in decisive style by more than three lengths at the line.
“It was a smart ride by Jasmine as he is not brilliant out the barriers, Pike said.
“She was caught three-wide early when they eased the tempo and it was very smart to go and sit outside the leader.
“He’s done it very comfortably, a little bit new and green when he hit the front, but I think he has plenty of upside as he isn’t a big horse but has a very big action.
“Unfortunately, he is not Karaka Million qualified as he is a homebred from Wentwood Grange but congratulations to them as he is the first foal out of their smart mare Mai Tai.”
Bred and raced by Wentwood Grange Stud owners the Hawkins family under their Llanhennock Trust brand, Harvey Wallbanger is out of smart racemare Mai Tai who numbered the Listed Awapuni Mile (1550m) amongst her six career wins, while she also finished runner-up in both the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) and the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m).