Stratford gelding Piper’s Son produced a remarkable performance to get up off the canvas and score the biggest win of his career in Friday’s $45,000 Harcourts Otaki Raukawa Cup (2100m).
The Tony Dravitzki-trained Piper’s Son headed into Otaki’s Matariki meeting with a rating of just 56, making him the lowest-rated runner in the open handicap line-up. Even with apprentice jockey Elle Sole’s 3kg claim, he appeared to have his work cut out against the $2.70 favourite Boomtown Boy.
But Dravitzki was confident his five-year-old gelding was not there to simply make up the numbers.
“He’s always shown a bit of potential,” he said. “He’s really just a one-pace horse. Elle took the initiative and went to the front. Full credit to her and this is a great result.
“I knew he was fit – he’s been doing three laps around the wet track at Stratford!”
Sole was able to dictate terms out in front and conserve her mount’s energy with a sedate tempo. The field bunched up tightly behind them in the back straight and down the side of the track, and it was obvious a long way from home that Boomtown Boy was going to be the big danger. He was travelling effortlessly on the heels of the leader, then swooped around the outside to clearly take the lead at the top of the home straight.
Piper’s Son looked beaten, but he lifted again in the straight and gradually clawed his way back level with Boomtown Boy.
They fought tooth and nail through the last 200m, and Piper’s Son summoned another big effort in the last few strides to edge ahead and win by a short head. Boomtown Boy finished two lengths in front of the third-placed Pinkerton, with another four lengths back to Carpe Diem in fourth.
“That was a real battle – very tiring,” Sole said. “He was going nicely in front, but coming down the back straight and up to the corner, he wasn’t really handling the heavy track that well. He kept chopping and changing his legs.
“When Boomtown Boy came up beside him, I just screamed. But he’s a very nice horse and did a great job to fight back and win today. Thanks to Tony for always putting me on and giving me so much support.”
Piper’s Son has now had 21 starts for two wins and three placings. The five-year-old son of Complacent has earned $48,760 for an ownership that includes Dravitzki.