Jockey Shaun Phelan and trainer Lucy de Lautour display their trophies following the success by Kipkeino
It is not often a trainer gets to record her biggest success in a race sponsored by her close relations but that is exactly what Waipukurau's Lucy de Lautour achieved at last Saturday's Hastings race meeting.
De Lautour produced Kipkeino to win the $50,000 Te Whangai Romneys Hawke's Bay Hurdles, one of the prestige jumping races at the Hawke's Bay winter meeting.
The 3100m event is sponsored by the Te Whangai Romney sheep stud which is operated by Hamish and Harry de Lautour, the brother and nephew of Lucy's husband Will.
A special dress rug, emblazoned with the words Te Whangai Romneys, adorned Kipkeino as the presentation took place in the birdcage following the win and Lucy de Lautour was overjoyed by the occasion.
"You always dream of winning a big race when you take up training and it was a huge thrill for the whole family that we managed to do it in that race," de Lautour said this week.
Kipkeino was recording his second win over hurdles, following a 13-1/2 length victory in a maiden hurdle over 3000m at Wanganui in August last year. He has also been a good performer on the flat, with one of his best performances being a win over Bel Sorriso in a 2100m open handicap at Awapuni in June 2015.
De Lautour races Kipkeino in partnership with her husband Will after the couple bought the horse for only $5500 at a South Island mixed bloodstock sale in August, 2009.
The de Lautours got Hastings trainer Paul Nelson to look out for a horse for them while he was campaigning jumpers at that year's Grand National meeting at Riccarton and a colt by Sunray was one he suggested.
Nelson initially trained Kipkeino and prepared the horse for his first win, when he took out a 1600m highweight at Awapuni in May 2012.
Lucy de Lautour took out an owner-trainer's licence soon after that and has prepared the now nine-year-old gelding to win a further seven races, with last Saturday's success taking his stake earnings to more than $148,000.
Kipkeino races in the colours formerly owned by Will de Lautour's grandparents, who raced a number of jumpers several years ago.
"Will and I have always been keen on racing, especially jumpers," Lucy added.
Kipkeino is one of three horses she is working at the moment with the others being Havataste, who has recorded several minor placings, and an unraced four-year-old gelding by Don Eduardo.
Kipkeino's success in the Hawke's Bay Hurdles was mainly due to a great ride by jockey Shaun Phelan. He settled the horse perfectly in the trail and saved every inch of ground before slipping through along the inside to challenge for the lead on the home turn.
Kipkeino was clear of his rivals approaching the last fence and, after another good leap, he proved too strong in the run to the line to win by 1-1/4 lengths.
Justa Charlie claimed second by a nose from the topweight and favourite Sea King, with Shamal only a head away in fourth.
Kipkeino is now likely to have his next start in the $75,000 Wellington Hurdles (3400m) at Trentham tomorrow week.
Wait A Sec taking a break
In-form Hastings galloper Wait A Sec has now been turned out for a brief spell with his main spring target being the Group 3 $250,000 New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton in November.
The Postponed six-year-old went out on a winning note when scoring another impressive victory in the $30,000 Open 2100m race at Hastings last Saturday, his fourth win from his last five starts.
"He's gone out for a couple of weeks now and will then be ready to race again towards the end of August," co-trainer Guy Lowry said this week.
"We will nominate him for races at the Hawke's Bay spring carnival, including the Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) on the last day, just in case that race drops away in class and there is the chance of a wet track.
"His main goal however will be the New Zealand Cup in November."
Wait A Sec earned only six points for last Saturday's win, which means he is still down on 86 points and may see him struggle to get into the top open class races at this stage.
"He probably needs to do a bit more but we'll aim him at the Hawke's Bay spring carnival and hopefully pick up some more points there," Lowry added.
Wait A Sec took his record to eight wins, five seconds and five thirds when scoring a decisive 1-1/4 length win over Zentangle, with third placed Zartan a further 1-3/4 lengths back. He was only a Rating 80 horse racing in an open handicap but proved a class above his rivals.
Jockey Johnathan Parkes settled the horse in fifth place in the early stages of the race and waited until the last 700m before making a move.
Once he urged his mount to quicken, Wait A Sec accelerated quickly to take control of the race on the home turn and kept up a strong run to the line.
That completed a hat-trick of wins for the gelding, following a three-quarter length victory over 1550 metres at Awapuni on May 20 and a 3 length success over 2100m at Te Rapa on June 10.
Wait A Sec, prepared by the Hastings training partnership of Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen, is owned by his Hastings breeder Ian Henderson in partnership with his Perth-based son Paul.
The horse's great run of form is mainly attributed to the fact that he has his training alternated between the Lowry/Cullen stable at Hastings and working around the hills at Nikki Lourie's farm property just north of Dannevirke.
Lourie is the partner of Grant Cullen and is also an equine physiotherapist.
No Change impressive
Hastings trainer Paul Nelson is unsure where he will start his promising jumper No Change next after the horse's decisive win in a maiden hurdle race over 2500m at Hastings last Saturday.
No Change was having only his second hurdle start, following a debut second at Hastings on May 11. The Shinko King eight-year-old has also been the winner of six races on the flat, including one over 1590m at Wanganui on June 3.
Paul Nelson, who bred and owns No Change in partnership with his wife Carol, said this week the horse appreciated the slow-9 track conditions at Hastings last Saturday.
He added that the horse struggles in very heavy track conditions so his opportunities could be limited for the rest of the winter.
"The track suited him last Saturday but we are probably not going to get a track like that again," Nelson said.
"It's a bit stupid that we have got two tracks in the country that can cope well with winter racing, at Hastings and Te Rapa, and yet they ran both meetings on the same day last Saturday."
Jockey Aaron Kuru settled No Change midfield in the early stages of last Saturday's race before improving his mount quickly to take the lead coming to the home turn.
No Change put in a spectacular leap at the last fence and raced away for a 4 length win over Royal Sceptre, with 5 lengths back to third placed Nom du Beel.
The win by No Change was the only high point in what was a disappointing day for Paul Nelson.
The top trainer had to scratch talented jumper Ooee from one of the day's features, the Te Whangai Romneys Hawke's Bay Hurdles, after the horse was suffered a severe muscle tire up on the eve of the meeting.
The Nelson-trained Perry Mason and rider Aaron Kuru fell at the fence at the top of the home straight in the maiden steeplechase while Nelson's well supported runner in the Animal Direct Health Hawke's Bay Steeplechase, Kings Deep, also crashed at the same fence in that 4800m event.
Johnson finishes third
Danielle Johnson has done her country proud at the inaugural Women Jockeys' Thoroughbred World Championships in Sweden.
The Cambridge-based 26-year-old finished third in the series after enjoying a victory in the first of the five races at Bro Park, near Stockholm.
The series was won by the French representative Maryline Eon.
Suspended again
Jockeys' premiership front-runner Chris Johnson has copped another suspension.
He pleaded guilty to failing to ride out The Boy Wonder in the opening event at Te Rapa last Saturday and will serve a ban from tomorrow until Sunday, July 16.
Johnson sits on 106 winners for the season, 12 clear of Danielle Johnson and 16 clear of Alysha Collett.
'Hawke's Bay and Havelock North in particular is home for me.'