Ocean Park Stayer Wins G3 Waikato Cup

Media Release - Saturday December 16

Consistent stayer Dionysus provided Roger James and Robert Wellwood with a positive end to a tough week when scoring a fighting victory in the Gr.3 SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m) on Saturday at Te Rapa.

Warren Kennedy drives Dionysus to victory in the Gr.3 SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m) at Te Rapa. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

The Cambridge training partners announced the retirement of superstar mare Prowess earlier in the week, but were back at the fore on Friday at Tauranga with Hastobeawinner victorious over 1400m, and headed to Te Rapa with the Cup favourite on Saturday.

With the scratching of well-fancied runner Aromatic, Dionysus became the prominent public-elect for the Cup starting a warm $2.20 favourite, with punters backing Prise De Fer on the back-up closing at $5.30.

The Ocean Park gelding jumped away in his typically tardy fashion, with a prepared Warren Kennedy quickly finding cover and slotting him into a comfortable position third-last in the early stages. The tempo was steady up front with Margaret Jean heading the field, Kennedy stalking Prise De Fer’s every move and had Dionysus travelling beautifully widest on the home turn.

Looming large on the outside, Dionysus moved up to challenge Prise De Fer, and the last 200m became a three-horse war as $27 hope Coruba Jak threatened an upset. Kingsclere’s charge proved too strong in the final bounds to score by a ½ length, with Prise De Fer gallant under the 59kg in second and Coruba Jak gaining a Group placing finishing seven lengths ahead of the remaining runners.

Advertisement

Kennedy regained the ride aboard the son of Ocean Park after claiming the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) last season, followed by a third in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m).

“He went absolutely fantastic,” Kennedy said.

“He’s a lovely horse and I think Roger and Robert have really brought him on the right way. He’s super fit at the moment and enjoying his racing, he can be a handful but he did everything right today, bar jumping out of the gates which he never gets right.

“The race didn’t map out as I thought it would, I looked up and saw El Nymph back where I was, so I wondered where the pace would come from, but they keep a reasonable gallop all the way round. I got on the back of Prise De Fer who I thought was probably the next best, he tracked me through and this horse settled beautifully in the run, he was breathing well.

“I wanted to put the horse (Prise De Fer) with the biggest weight under pressure early, so I challenged him at the top of the straight and got a bit of a lead. This horse (Dionysus) was floating around quite a bit waiting for the challenge to come, and when Prise De Fer got within a neck of me, the horse realised he had to go again and kicked on.”

James was complimentary of the Cambridge trainers’ team following the victory, which couldn’t have come at better notice.

“There’s no ‘I’ in team, and we’re fortunate we have a champion team behind us. Days like this reward everybody,” Roger James said.

“Warren had it in his mind that he didn’t want to be snookered on the fence, he’s a class rider and he’d thought of everything we’d thought of. He rode him a treat.

Now a winner of six races and over $394,000 in stakes, James indicated Dionysus will now be set to defend his crown in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on New Year’s Day at Pukekohe, whilst holding nominations for each of the Gr.3 NZ Campus For Sport and Innovation Wellington Cup (3200m), Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m), and the Gr.2 Barfoot and Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m).

“That’s the plan at this stage (Queen Elizabeth II Cup), but as always we’ll take him home and make certain he’s okay before we move on.”

Bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan, Dionysus was purchased for $45,000 by James and Wellwood out of Cambridge Stud’s Book 1 draft at the 2019 Karaka Yearling Sales, for prominent owners Ron and Fran Dixon.

“Ron was my first ever owner, he loves his racing and he’s been fortunate enough to have a lot of good horses along the way. Hopefully this is not his last.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$2,000 Gavelhouse Bargain Keeps on Winning!
The Grey Goose continued to belie her purchase price last start when recording her fifth win at Wingatui, bringing her career earnings to more than $225,000.
New SW for Ocean Park, Dionysus Wins G3 QEII Cup
The superlatives being used about the riding of ex-pat South African Warren Kennedy went to a new level at Te Rapa on Sunday when he picked up a winning treble that included taking the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) aboard Dionysus.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.