Kolding Leads home a Quinella for Ocean Park in the George Main

Mark Smith - Saturday September 19

Punters were faced with a dilemma in Saturday’s Group 1 Fujitsu George Main Stakes at Randwick in trying to place Chris Waller’s four runners in the right order - most failed.

A second Group 1 for Kolding in the George Main Stakes (Steve Hart)

The champion trainer went 1-2-3-4 in the seven-horse field, but it was Kolding who had placed just once in his previous seven starts, emerging victorious for the first time since his triumph in the $7.5 million Golden Eagle over 1500m at Rosehill last November.

That was the culmination of three consecutive wins which began with the Bill Ritchie Stakes on this programme 12 months ago before capturing the Group  Epsom Handicap ar Randwick.

Tommy Berry is having a good day (Steve Hart)

Given a positive ride by Tommy Berry, Kolding sat outside the frontrunning Dreamforce before taking control at the 300m then holding off Star Of The Seas by a long-neck, to give Waikato Stud’s rising star Ocean Park the quinella.

Advertisement

Imaging (Oasis Dream) was a long-head back in third ahead of the luckless favourite Verry Elleegant.

It was the seventh win in the race for Chris Waller who said Kolding is unlikely to defend his Epsom Handicap crown.

“He will get too much weight although I think one of his stalemates might do,” Waller said.

“But we’ll find a nice race for Kolding.

“We went to Melbourne and he doesn’t like the left haded way off going, that was a disaster but he came back and ran very well in the Doncaster.

We’ve just got to find his right distance. He will be following the weight-for-age path.

“While I might query Melbourne for him I wouldn’t rule out Moonee Valley or Flemington, but he certainly doesn’t like Caulfield.”

Purchased by Mulcaster Bloodstock for $170,000 out of the Wentwood Grange draft at the 2017 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, Kolding advances his record 9 wins, 2 second and 3 thirds from 23 starts with earnings of $5,608,650.

He is the third stakes-winner out of the Danzero mare Magic Star who was purchased by Kolding's breeder Warren Pegg for $34,000 at the 2008 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

Seven out of Magic Star's eight foals to reach the track are winners with Kolding joining the prolific Group II winner Sampson (Dubai Destination) and the Listed winner Miss Upstart (Snippetson).

Magic has a 3yo Iffraaj filly named Faye Presto who was purchased for $150,000 by Grahame Begg Racing / Rohan J Hughes Thoroughbred Services at Karaka. She has finished out of a place in her two starts to date.

Sadly, Magic Star and her Astern colt foal died last spring.

Advertisment

Race Result - Fujitsu George Main Stakes Gr1 1600m

Randwick Track: Good(4) Time: 1:33.30
1
Kolding
- 5g Ocean Park (NZ) x Magic Star (AUS) (Danzero (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tommy Berry 59
2
0.4
Star Of The Seas
- 6g Ocean Park (NZ) x Stella Livia (GB) (Titus Livius (FR))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: S Clipperton 59
3
0.6
Imaging
- 6g Oasis Dream (GB) x Mirror Lake (GB) (Dubai Destination (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: K Mc Evoy 59
4
1.6
Verry Elleegant
- 5m Zed (NZ) x Opulence (NZ) (Danroad (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 57
5
3.7
Colette
- 4m Hallowed Crown (AUS) x Libretto (IRE) (Singspiel (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Rachel King 56.5
6
5.1
Avilius
- 7g Pivotal (GB) x Alessandria (GB) (Sunday Silence (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: J Bowman 59
7
5.6
Dreamforce
- 8g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Eskimo Queen (NZ) (Shinko King (IRE))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: N Rawiller 59
More Reading...
Kolding in a Class Of his Own in Hill Stakes
If Chris Waller was using Saturday’s Group II $500,000 Hill Stakes (2000m) as a guide to Kolding’s chances in the WS Cox Plate, then the five-year-old son of Ocean Park passed his audition impressively.
Third Group 1 for Ocean Park's Kolding
The Chris Waller-trained Kolding took his earnings to a mind-boggling $6,387,200 when he added a third win at the highest level with a typically spirited performance in Saturday’s $600,000 Group 1 All-Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Stylish Debut Win for Strada Varenna
With two wins and a second at the trials, the Bjorn Baker trained Strada Varenna has been a watch horse for sometime at Breednet and duly got the cash on debut at Canterbury on Friday night.
Kolding Wins Inaugural $7.5million Golden Eagle
Worth $7.5million, the ATC Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill was the richest race in the country on Saturday, a day that has traditionally belonged to Derby Day at Flemington.
Leica Lucy Trainer Looking to Rebound from Devastating Week
New Plymouth trainer Robbie Patterson is thankful he is still alive following the devastation of losing his house to a fire earlier this week.
Cambridge Stud Confirm Zousain Filly First Dance for $3.5m Kiwi
Cambridge Stud’s Brendan and Jo Lindsay have announced that First Dance (NZ) will carry their silks in next week’s inaugural running of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on Barfoot & Thompson Champions Day.
Pam Gerard Hoping for Poignant Flemington Victory
Barely 48 hours after the sad loss of her former training partner Mike Moroney, Pam Gerard will saddle a Group One contender at the Melbourne track the Hall of Fame horseman called home.
$1million Showdown Next for Hanseatic Filly
Race experience and superior fitness proved a big advantage at Moonee Valley on Friday night for progressive Hanseatic filly Befuddle, who used both to her advantage when breaking her maiden at her third start.
Premier Highlights Widden Stud
Widden Stud is the second biggest vendor at Inglis Premier behind only Yulong and their 45 strong selection features 28 yearlings by Widden based sires including flagship sire Zoustar, the world’s leading sire of winners in 2024, who has sired nine Australian stakes-winners this season.
Right Sires Make Yarraman Premier Draft a Winner
Yarraman Park have taken plenty of guesswork out of the equation with their Inglis Premier draft featuring 11 yearlings and every single one is by a serious top class Group I producing sire.