Gavin Sharrock was confident of a winning run from Soldier Boy (NZ) (Proisir) at Trentham and his judgment proved on the money with the four-year-old producing a strong staying performance to claim Saturday’s Listed Marton Cup (2200m).
The Stratford trainer had been forgiving of the son of Proisir’s previous unplaced effort in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2050m) and was bullish about a form reversal in the JAPAC Homes-sponsored feature.
Soldier Boy coasted along behind the leading division and when rider Kate Hercock asked him for a serious effort in the straight, the gelding answered positively to prevail in a driving finish.
It was the fourth win of his career and doubled his black-type tally following success in last season’s Listed Wanganui Guineas (1340m).
Unfortunately, Soldier Boy wasn’t nominated for the Gr.3 New Zealand Campus For Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m), and late entries closed on Friday, as Sharrock believed he would have been a genuine chance.
“He ran fourth in the New Zealand Derby (Gr.1, 2400m) and probably should have won it,” he said.
“He was pushed four wide into the first corner and had to go to the lead and still hung on to run fourth so I think he will run 3200m.
“I’m not sure where we’ll go next. I’ll get him home first and then have a look.”
Soldier Boy has had two further cracks at the elite level and finished seventh in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) in the spring and most recently was eighth in the Zabeel Classic in a performance Sharrock was forgiving of.
“Look, they all said he hit Group One company and didn’t perform all that well, but they didn’t know about the circumstances on the day,” he said.
“I was heading to Pukekohe and there was a burned-out car and the traffic was held up for three hours and I had to go 30km out of my way to get there.
“It wasn’t ideal going into a Group One and he had also missed a lead-up race at Awapuni when they called the races off, but the run at Pukekohe did top him off well for Trentham.”
Sharrock said Soldier Boy hadn’t missed a beat in his lead-up and was bullish about his chances.
“His work on Tuesday had been astounding and he had been licking the feed bowl clean and tearing around the paddock, he was just so well.”
Soldier Boy settled in fifth spot near the fence and when the field fanned out into the straight he rounded off strongly down the centre of the track to down the game frontrunner Sagunto (NZ) (O’Reilly).
Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed) came on stoutly to finish a close third and confirm his position at the head of the Wellington Cup market as a $3.20 favourite.
Soldier Boy is raced by his co-breeder Gavin O’Dea, a Hawera accountant who enjoyed previous success with the stable.
“He bred Vancooga, a full sister, who ran second in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m),” Sharrock said.
“This one is a lovely horse, he does everything right and travels well, he’s a good eater and I love him to bits. He’s been a very under-rated horse.”
Soldier Boy’s sire Proisir, who stands at Rich Hill Stud, will be represented by 49 youngsters across Books 1 and 2 in this month’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
