The 4-year-old Swiss Ace mare, bought as a weanling for $2000, was having only her second career start and scored a decisive 1-1/4 length victory at odds of 26 to one.
Swish Az is owned by her co-trainer Grant Cullen in partnership with his partner Nikki Lourie. They bought her from the 2015 Karaka Mixed Bloodstock sale, mainly on type and breeding.
"I've always liked the Swiss Ace horses and we liked the look of her," Cullen said this week.
"She was a big, leggy filly that obviously needed time and we were prepared to give her that time."
"She has suffered a bit of shin soreness but we have just taken her along quietly and let her mature and strengthen and hopefully we will now reap the rewards."
Swish Az was unplaced in a 1000m Woodville trial last November and then finished last, more than 34 lengths from the winner, when making her race debut over 1200m at Otaki a month later.
"We actually thought she would go alright in her first start but she was badly shin sore after the race. She stumbled out of the gates and never raised a gallop and jockey Johnathan Parkes basically pulled her up over the final stages."
Swish Az was then turned out for a brief spell to recover and showed she was back on track when winning a 1000m Levin jumpout nine days before her Wairoa victory.
"After that jumpout win we thought she would go well at Wairoa, as long as she didn't jar up," Cullen added.
Jockey Samantha Collett bounced Swish Az out quickly from the barrier to take an early lead and then took a sit outside Pokuru's Gift when that horse went to the front in the middle stages.
The pair rounded the home bend locked together but Swish Az had a bit more in reserve over the final stages and drew clear late.
Cullen said Swish Az has come through the race in great order and she is likely to have her next start in a Rating 65 race over 1200m at Woodville on March 17.
Speedy mare's second success
Hastings-trained Carillion's early speed was put to good advantage in a Rating 65 race over 1200m on the first day at Wairoa.
The Per Incanto mare drew barrier four in a seven horse field and jockey Anna Jones had her disputing the pace from the outset, holding a clear advantage over her rivals entering the home straight.
She then came under siege but managed to fight off the challengers to win by three-quarters of a length.
Carillion was recording her second win, her first being over 1000m at Taupo in August last year.
She races in the colours made famous by horses bred and raced by the former Te Parae Stud in Masterton and was bred by Wairarapa-based Angela Williams.
The mare is now raced by a syndicate that is managed by Auckland's John Duncan.
Carillion backed up on the second day of the Wairoa meeting on Sunday but, after setting a hot pace over 1300m, she compounded in the straight to finish ninth of 12 runners and will now be given a freshen up.
Uncle Bro fulfilling his promise
Uncle Bro, a $130,000 purchase from the 2016 Ready To Run Two-year-old sale, went a little way to recuperating his purchase price with a dominant win in a $10,000 maiden 1900m race at Wairoa last week.
The Uncle Bro 4-year-old, owned by Cambridge-based Tony Rider, was having his sixth start, with his previous best placings being two seconds and a fourth.
He had produced an eye-catching last start second over 1600m at Otaki and obviously relished the step up in distance at Wairoa.
Jockey Johnathan Parkes settled Uncle Bro in about sixth place in the early stages before moving him forward to challenge just before than home turn.
Uncle Bro took a clear lead soon after and kept up a strong run to the line to win by two lengths from Trumpet and Sylwek.
Uncle Bro is by the American Breeders' Cup winner Uncle Mo out of the Japanese-bred mare Uno Sayuri, who was the winner of three races from 1400m to 2200m in Singapore.
Trainers Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen are uncertain where Uncle Bro will start next.
"We'd like to give him another run in the near future, while he's in good form, but there is a lack of suitable Rating 65 middle distance races around," Lowry said.
Proved a class able his rivals
There was no more dominant winner at this year's Wairoa two-day meeting than the Hastings-trained Hunta Pence in the $15,000 Wairoa Cup Trial on the first day.
The No Excuse Needed 6-year-old blitzed his rivals by six lengths in the 1900m event and could have won by more had jockey Samantha Collett asked him to really extend over the final stages.
She had the horse in or near the lead throughout and, after taking control just before the home turn, he raced right away from the opposition.
It was Hunta Pence's sixth win from only 34 starts for owner-trainer Patrick Campbell and his stake earnings have now topped more than $100,000.
Campbell is pleased with the way Hunta Pence has come through the win and will now aim him for the $35,000 Open 2200m race at Trentham tomorrow week.
Game debut win by Serena
Hastings trainer John Bary unleashed a promising 2-year-old in Serena at Wairoa last Sunday, with the Swiss Ace filly scoring a game debut win in the $20,000 Winiata Saddlery 1200.
The filly only had one barrier trial, over 850m at Foxton on February 12, to help prepare her for her first race start and she was lost for early speed, getting back to a clear last in the early stages.
But when jockey Samantha Collett asked her to improve she quickly swept around the field to be vying for the lead on the turn.
Serena ranged up outside the well supported Amazing Team and the two then knuckled down to a head to head tussle over the final stages, with Serena getting in the deciding stride on the line to win by a short head.
Bary purchased Serena for $17,000 from the 2-year-old Ready To Run sale at Karaka in November.
He liked the look of the filly and was impressed with the last 50 metres of her breeze up before the sale. He now races her in partnership with Hamilton-based Todd Bawden.
Serena will now be turned out for a spell and be brought back for some of the early 3-year-old races in the new season.
Wait A Sec back racing next week
Hastings-trained Group 1 winner Wait A Sec is set to make a return to the race track at Trentham tomorrow week.
The Postponed 8-year-old has been off the scene since winning the Wairoa Cup (2100m) 12 months ago after suffering a tendon injury.
He was given a long spell but has been back in work for a few months now and trainers Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen took him up to this year's annual Wairoa meeting for a trip.
"He had a gallop up there last Thursday morning and another one between races on Sunday and went well both times," co-trainer Grant Cullen said on Tuesday.
"He'll have a jumpout over 1000 metres at Hastings this week and, at this stage, he will kick off again in the open 1600 at Trentham on March 9.
"I'd like to get him up for the Hawke's Bay Cup in April," he added.
Wait A Sec is the winner of 13 races and almost $400,000 in prizemoney with his best win coming in the 2017 Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings, but he suffered a tear in a tendon after winning last year's Wairoa Cup.
Parkes booked for key Cup ride
Johnathan Parkes will be reunited with Five To Midnight for the Group 1 $500,000 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie tomorrow week.
Parkes was attending a wedding when Jonathan Riddell guided the Lisa Latta-trained Domesday 6-year-old to third in the Group 2 Avondale Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie last start but had been the regular rider this season of last year's Auckland Cup runner-up.
Latta was thrilled with Five To Midnight's Avondale Cup run and was looking forward to the Auckland Cup.
"He's come through the run well. He went to the paddock for a couple of days and he's good. He's on track for the Auckland Cup," Latta said.
