Barbara Kennedy was delighted to score her first winning double on New Zealand soil at Ellerslie on Wednesday, with her husband Warren guiding both Matzden and Hero Of War in consecutive races.
In the fourth on the mid-week card, Matzden was among the favoured runners for the Auckland Co-Op Taxis 1400 after performing gamely on debut in heavy track conditions at Pukekohe. Back on an improving soft surface, the gelding still had to contend with the extreme outside draw, eventually forced to settle three-deep near the tail of the field.
In the hands of last season’s premiership-winning hoop in Kennedy, Matzden got on the back of Just Like This into the home turn, but opted to switch down the centre while that runner headed down the outside of his rivals.
Timetoplaythegame had hit the lead early in the straight and held on for a long way, but Matzden, Just Like This and Natoya came powering up behind him, catching the leader in the shadows of the post with the former finding the edge to score by a long neck.
His trainer had been pleased with the three-year-old’s debut effort and her confidence into Wednesday’s contest was justified.
“He might’ve found a little bit too heavy last time, but it was a good first-up run and he showed a lot of courage,” she said. “Coming here on a better track I was a little bit confident, aside from the draw that he had.
“Warren managed to get him into a good spot and it was good to see him fight out the finish like that. He’s the kind of horse that is a little bit insecure, so to see him going past horses like this is good for his confidence.”
A son of Darci Brahma, Matzden is out of a two-win Swiss Ace mare in Dentelle.
The Byerley Park horsewoman had admitted to lower expectations for stablemate Hero Of War in the following race, with the daughter of Nicconi having her first raceday appearance after initially trialling for Peter and Dawn Williams before Kennedy took over their operation.
Kennedy was pleasantly surprised with what unfolded, as Hero Of War found a prominent position in the running and found plenty in the straight to fend off Compulsory by a short head, defying her closing price of nearly $30.
“This is my first double in New Zealand so I’m over the moon, and even better to get it at Ellerslie,” she said.
“She’s a filly that doesn’t give too much away at home and is such a big filly, so I thought she might need a little bit further. I don’t think the penny has quite dropped with her yet, so to see her rally like this and pull off the win first-up, it gives me a bit of confidence going forward with her.
“I think ability and class got her through today.”
Kennedy echoed his wife’s comments, indicating a distance beyond Wednesday’s 1400m trip will play in the favour of the long-striding filly.
“She’s shown glimpses but she’s pretty one-paced in her workouts, so we didn’t come in with a lot of confidence,” he said. “We really wanted to see where she was on the racing spectrum, so I put her in the race.
“I think I got her there in the right spot and she is pretty much one-paced, but when that horse came up she really knuckled down and kept her head in front all the way. I think going another furlong, she would’ve stayed in front, she was really fighting and it’s good to know she’s got that competitive streak in her.
“She was gallant, she fought all the way to the line and it was great for Barbara to have a first-up win for Barneswood (Farm, owners), they were big supporters of Peter and Dawn Williams who Barbara has now taken over from, so it’s great for them. They’ll be thrilled, I’m sure.
“I think she’ll go 2000m-plus, so the further she’ll go, the better she’ll get.” Hero Of War is out of a Group Two performing Australian mare in Assertive Eagle, and was purchased by Barneswood Farm’s Sarah Green and Ger Beemsterboer for $140,000 when presented in the draft of Wentwood Grange at Karaka 2023.