Horse racing: Poignant Te Rapa victory for Wewillrock

Wewillrock powers away to an impressive victory in the Group 1 Turf Bar Sprint. Photo / Kenton Wright

A few days after the loss of legendary Hawke’s Bay studmaster and administrator Tom Lowry, his nephew Guy played a starring role on Saturday with Wewillrock’s scintillating victory in the Group 1 Turf Bar Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa.

Tom Lowry died on Monday at the age of 88, just a day after being a special guest at the Hawke’s Bay/Poverty Bay Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s annual weanling walk.

The third generation to operate Hawke’s Bay’s iconic Okawa Stud, Lowry was an enormously influential figure in the New Zealand thoroughbred industry. In the 1970s he purchased and imported the Irish stallion Three Legs, who went on to become a three-time champion New Zealand sire and is best known for the deeds of his champion daughter Horlicks.

Lowry was president of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club from 1987 to 1991, and after the club became part of Hawke’s Bay Racing Incorporated in the 1990s, he served as chairman from 2000 to 2002. He was also vice-president of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association from 1983 to 1987.

Lowry’s passion for thoroughbreds and influence on the Kiwi thoroughbred scene is being carried on by his nephew Guy, who has more than 320 training successes to his name at an excellent strike rate and now operates his Hastings stable in partnership with Leah Zydenbos.

Wewillrock was the only runner on Saturday for the Lowry/Zydenbos team, and he was sent out as a red-hot $1.70 favourite for Te Rapa’s $40,000 sprint feature. A runner-up under big weights in both of his previous appearances, he dropped to 56kg for this race thanks to apprentice jockey Triston Moodley’s 3kg claim.

Wewillrock jumped well from the inside gate and scampered through to take the lead inside the first 50m, and there was barely a moment’s doubt about the result from that point on.

The El Roca gelding turned it on down the side of the track, charging ahead and rounding the home turn more than five lengths clear of his nearest challenger.

Moodley took a long look over his shoulder in the straight and eased his mount down in the final few strides, crossing the finish line three lengths in front of the runner-up Chajaba.

“I was just glad to be aboard him,” Moodley said. “He took me along.

“It looked like there would be plenty of speed in the race, so we didn’t know if we’d get taken on if we went forward. But he jumped well enough and was in such a good rhythm all the way around.

“I couldn’t believe it when he quickened so well coming down the side. He’s got plenty of gears and is a very good horse.”

Wewillrock has now had 21 starts for seven wins, nine placings and more than $299,000 in stakes. Lowry and Zydenbos will consider giving him an opportunity to take on elite weight-for-age opposition in the Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) and Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m). Wewillrock finished eighth in the Foxbridge last year.

“Wow, that was impressive,” Zydenbos said on Saturday. “He was cruising. The 3kg claim definitely helped today, and Triston did an awesome job for us with a pearler of a ride.

“This horse has done plenty of travelling and he handles it so well. He’s just like a big dog – you can do anything with him.

“The Foxbridge Plate is definitely an option. He’d come back from a campaign in Sydney when he ran in it last year, so I think we can have him in better shape for a race like that if we have another crack at it this time around.

“The Tarzino could be a possibility too. We’d never really thought he was quite up to Group 1 level before, but gee he was impressive today.”

The TAB has installed Wewillrock as an equal $5 favourite in its brand-new market for the Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa on August 24. He shares that quote with Pier and Waitak, with defending champion Dragon Leap just behind them at $7.

Wewillrock is rated an $18 chance in a Tarzino Trophy market headed by Legarto ($3.50), Crocetti ($4.50) and Orchestral ($6). The first Group 1 race on the New Zealand calendar, the Tarzino will be run at Wewillrock’s home track of Hastings on September 7.

-LOVERACING.NZ News Desk