Dictation (NZ) (Tavistock) has encountered more than his share of misfortune through the early part of his hurdling career, but he and jockey Mathew Gillies turned that around and made their own luck in the Fairview Motors Waikato Hurdle (3200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.
The winner of three of his seven starts over hurdles before Saturday’s $60,000 feature, the Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal-trained Dictation also threw away a likely Sydenham Hurdle (3100m) victory with a costly late blunder at Riccarton last August, followed by a luckless second at Woodville after being badly impeded by a fallen rival.
The Tavistock gelding finished third behind higher-rated stablemate Taika (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu) in a dress rehearsal at Te Rapa three weeks ago, and Nelson and McDougal had no doubt that he was capable of reversing that result in the Waikato Hurdle. He duly delivered, following in the footsteps of The Cossack (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) (2021) and Nedwin (NZ) (Niagara) (2023) to give the stable a third Waikato Hurdle victory in the last five runnings.
Gillies played his role to perfection, sitting second behind Verry Flash (NZ) (Zed) through the early part of the race before striding forward to take the lead with a lap to go.
Dictation moved further ahead with a bold jump in the back straight, and Gillies elected to press on. Dictation put four or five lengths on the field within the space of 100m, stealing a break on the field that they never relinquished.
Dictation was all alone in his second trip down the home straight. He romped to victory by four and three-quarters lengths over Verry Flash. Mont Ventoux (NZ) (Nom du Jeu) finished another three lengths away in third.
“He jumped brilliantly,” Gillies said. “Paul and Corrina are a great training team; they get their horses so fit. Full credit to them. They and the horse made me look good today.
“He put in a really good jump down the back straight and got a bit further in front of Verry Flash, and I thought I might as well carry on and put a bit of pressure on. The horse did a great job.”
Dictation has now had 32 starts for six wins, seven placings, and $143,670 in stakes. His eight runs over hurdles have produced four wins and three placings.
“That was a beauty today,” Nelson said. “We’ve always rated him highly and he probably should have won five hurdle races by now. He should have won the Sydenham, and he was badly interfered with one day at Woodville too. It’s good to see him win a good race today.
“Mat made them chase him. I thought that might have been a bit ambitious, but it obviously wasn’t. It was a good ride and a good win.”