Blueblood O'Reilly Gelding Wins Matamata Cup

Media Release - Saturday October 9

Topweight Vernanme proved too tough for his rivals when he produced a gritty effort to take out Saturday’s Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m).

Vernanme stretches out nicely as he takes out the Listed team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m) Photo Credit: Race Images – Kenton Wright

The Stephen Marsh-trained six-year-old came into the race off a confidence boosting fresh-up run for third at Hastings last month, after trialling nicely before launching his spring campaign.

Asked to carry the 60kg topweight for the feature event at Matamata, rider Craig Grylls gave the son of O’Reilly an economic run in the trail behind pacemaker Crystallize throughout before angling one-off the fence in the home straight to make his challenge.

Vernanme hit the front at the 250m and slowly edged away from a game Crystallize to win nicely by just over a length with the well-supported Frontman a margin back in third.

Advertisement

Marsh, who was at home in his Cambridge lounge due to the COVID19 border restrictions preventing him attending the Matamata track, was delighted to see Vernanme back to winning form.

“That was just awesome as he had 60kgs on his back and won it like the good horse he is,” Marsh said.

“He has been quite an immature type all the way along, but I think he has finally started to put it all together now.

“It was a lovely ride by Craig as he never spent a penny on the inside and only asked him to make one run in the straight.

“Actually, at the 500m I was pretty worried as Frontman looked like he was travelling easily and had a 5kg pull in the weights on us, but my guy got his momentum up and did it very well in the closing stages.”

Marsh will now give Vernanme a few easy days before deciding on his next target, which is likely to be the Gr.2 Gartshore Tauranga Stakes (1600m) on November 13.

“He goes his best races on the fresh side and doesn’t really take big campaigns, so we will just poke around with him and freshen him up now,” he said.

“That Group Two mile at Tauranga looks ideal for him, although we might consider the Listed mile (Karaka Classic) at Pukekohe at the end of the month if he is getting too frisky out in his paddock.”

Marsh was keen to make it a black-type double in the space of thirty minutes when he lined up Loose Cannon in the Gr.3 Wyndspelle @ Grangewilliam Stud Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Hawera, however a testing heavy10 surface put paid to her chances after she looked a hope on the point of the home bend.

“Loose Cannon deserves to get some black type, but she just never handled that track down there as she was ducking and diving all over the place when the rider let her head go,” he said.

“She will keep as she is going better than ever, so we just need to find another stakes race for her.”

Vernanme is out of the five-race winner Bohemian Blues and is a full brother to multiple Group One winner Shamrocker and a half-brother of Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) winner Rock Diva.

He has now won five of his 24 starts and over $209,000 in prizemoney. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Matamata Cup LR 1600m

Matamata Track: Heavy(10) Time: 1:38.70
1
Vernanme
- 6g O'Reilly (NZ) x Bohemian Blues (NZ) (Blues Traveller (IRE))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: C J Grylls 60
2
1.3
Crystallize
- 6g Iffraaj (GB) x Crystalina (IRE) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: D A Walker Rdr: S T Collett 58.5
3
2.8
Frontman
- 4h Makfi (GB) x Imposingly (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: K Asano 55
4
5.1
Spring Delight
- 6m Tavistock (NZ) x Ana Zeel (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: S R Weatherley 53
5
5.9
Mont Ventoux
- 6g Nom Du Jeu (NZ) x Good Reason (NZ) (Lord Ballina (AUS))
Tnr: R P Liefting Rdr: L H Satherley 53
6
7.7
Hezthewonforus
- 7g Sufficient (NZ) x Party Queen (NZ) (Gold Brose (AUS))
Tnr: Ms J K Mahoney Rdr: A C Goindasamy 53
7
8.2
Le Sablier
- 7m Tavistock (NZ) x Phillipa Glass (NZ) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: Ms K Fursdon Rdr: D S Johnson 53
8
9.7
Lilly Thunder
- 7m Dalghar (FR) x Sharp Tip (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Ms P Riley Rdr: B E Grylls 53
9
14.7
Major Tom
- 8g Red Giant (USA) x Letsgoparty (NZ) (Oregon (USA))
Tnr: P & J Brosnan Rdr: T L Newman 54.5
More Reading...
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!