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Two from two for Otago

3 minute read

Promising three-year-old Otago remained undefeated with a narrow yet decisive win at Flemington.

OTAGO winning the Victorian Jockeys Association Trophy at Flemington in Australia.
OTAGO winning the Victorian Jockeys Association Trophy at Flemington in Australia. Picture: Racing Photos

The Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) is the pie in the sky for Otago who backed up a dominant debut win at Bendigo with a narrow in at Flemington on Saturday, taking out a 3yo benchmark 70 over 1400m.

Backed into $1.75, Otago landed just behind the speed under Beau Mertens but had to dig deep to overhaul Valois ($7.50) by a head with initial race leader Very Sewreel ($5) a further head away in third, with six lengths back to the next horse.

Mick Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr, was hopeful Otago could stamp his Australian Guineas claim during the week.

"If he does win, I would think with two wins it will allow me to give him a breather and try and get him into the Australian Guineas," Price said.

Owned by Roll The Dice Racing syndicate, Otago could now be aimed at the Guineas, which is set to be run on March 2nd at Flemington with Roll The Dice Racing director of racing and communications Steve Travaglia hopeful their $50,000 purchase could deliver Group One glory.

"I'll leave that up to Mick and Junior, you'd love to think so but he's obviously still got a fair bit of learning to go, he switches on and off, Beau (Mertens) had his hands full for a little bit there. Dream, I think so, but we'll see what happens," Travaglia said.

Beau Mertens has ridden Otago in both wins to date and believes there is plenty more to come from the Ocean Park gelding as he continues to mature.

"He's still a raw horse. Coming into the straight I gave him a little bit of a niggle and those horses in front of me kicked into the straight quite nicely… I sort of got to them and struggled to fight them off, he probably had a bit of a think about it," Mertens said.

"He's got ability this horse. I really, really like him and I think as he matures he'll only get better."


Racing and Sports

Flemington

Saturday, 13th January 2024

3
13:23
(local)

Victorian Jockeys Association Trophy

Age: 3yo WT: 55.0kg Type: BM70
AUD $150,000
1400m TURF GOOD
3
13:23
(local)
AUD $150,000
1400m GOOD

Victorian Jockeys Association Trophy

Age: 3yo WT: 55.0kg Type: BM70


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 3. OTAGO (NZ) 3yo G
OCEAN PARK (NZ) - STEEL STILETTOS (AUS)
BEAU MERTENS
MICK PRICE & MICHAEL KENT JNR
$1.75
58.5kg
R T D Racing, Pinot Party, G&C Bayview, C McLeish, K Hoefel, A P Grant, A L Mitchell, T G Lines, C J Lines, Mrs J E Lines, Mrs K Spence, Mrs J L Hill, B K Hill, J H Glasscock, M J Glasscock, D E Gwynne, D W Gniel, Mrs E M Clotworthy & Allez Boom

Sales Information

2nd 1. VALOIS (AUS) 3yo G
UNDER THE LOUVRE (AUS) - CENTREPET (AUS)
DAMIAN LANE
CLIFF BROWN
$7.5
60kg
K Lee

Sales Information

3rd 8. VERY SEWREEL (AUS) 3yo F
SNITZEL (AUS) - SEWREEL (NZ)
JYE MCNEIL
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$5
57kg
R Montague, Cunningham Thoroughbreds, Mes Chevaux, Australian Chinese Jockey Club Racing 7, A Taylor, D Lilley, A McClure, A Pellicano, G Crispe, J Simmons, C Nugent, B Nugent, Mrs S Lilley, Ms Y Schauble, S Gorman, Mrs P Gorman, S Freeman-Matthews, Mrs G Daggett-Emmett, K Sloane & J Young

Sales Information

4th 2. HIGH SECURITY (AUS) 3yo G
NATIONAL DEFENSE (GB) - EXCEEDINGLY ROYAL (AUS)
DANIEL STACKHOUSE
JASON WARREN
$11
58.5kg

Sales Information

5th 6. MILITARY AWARD (AUS) 3yo G
SHAMUS AWARD (AUS) - PHOSPHORESCENCE (AUS)
JOE BOWDITCH
MATHEW ELLERTON
$19
57.5kg
6th 7. HE'S GODSPEED (AUS) 3yo G
DIVINE PROPHET (AUS) - KISS ME GOODBYE (AUS)
JACK HILL
DANIEL BOWMAN
$26
57kg

Sales Information

7th 4. SUMADARTSON (AUS) 3yo G
NOSTRADAMUS (AUS) - LATINO GOSS (NZ)
JASON MASKIELL
RACHAEL CUNNINGHAM
$41
58kg

Sales Information

8th 5. CHECK YOUR SIX (AUS) 3yo G
ASTERN (AUS) - COMICAL LASS (NZ)
TATUM BULL
CLAYTON DOUGLAS
$15
54.5kg

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