Horse racing: Sassy mare bombs them late to grab Group 3 glory at Hāwera

Hi Yo Sass Bomb and trainer Kim Reid, pictured after winning the Breeders Stakes at Hāwera. Photo / Jane Davidson

Quality mare Hi Yo Sass Bomb showed she is in for another plentiful spring campaign when she exploded over the final 150m to score a stunning victory in the feature race at Hāwera on Saturday, the Group 3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders Stakes.

Kim Reid’s now 7-year-old daughter of Complacent has fashioned a top-class record over the past two years, including a runner-up finish behind Snazzytavi in the Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) alongside a win in the Group 3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) and numerous honest efforts in elite company.

Reid gave her a lengthy summer break after finishing well back in the Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) in early January and brought her back to the trials at Foxton in August, where she ran third over 1000m before winning her second trial over the same distance a fortnight later.

Expected to perform creditably first up over 1400m at Ōtaki last month, a seventh-out-of-eight effort had Reid scratching her head somewhat, before tackling Saturday’s Group 3 feature as her second-up target.

The application of blinkers and a deteriorating Heavy 10 surface that had copped plenty of rain during the week and again on race day played into her hands as rider Chris Dell had her trucking along beautifully on the rails behind a slow pace set up by race favourite Mary Shan ($2.90).

Dell angled Hi Yo Sass Bomb across heels at the 500m mark and followed eventual runner-up Rareza into the contest before burying her rivals with a powerful burst that carried her to a one-and-a-half-length victory.

Reid, who co-owns the mare in conjunction with her parents Josephine and Graeme Reid, cut an emotional figure after the race.

“I just love this horse, as I know she is a champ,” Reid said.

“Last start was really disappointing and I knew she was behind the eight ball.

“When she is on, she is on and so deserves this, it really means a lot.

“She is sassy but classy and really gets her game face on. Today, she was really cool and calm and that is what she gets like on race day [at her best].

“I’ve been saying all week I was 90% happy with her and there was still 10% to go, so we will see how she is over the next few days and decide where to go from there.”

Dell admitted it was a strangely run race due to the lack of a true pacemaker, although he didn’t want to be as handy as he was in the early running, knowing she has a devastating sprint when saved for a last run from the back.

“She has been jumping and putting herself there at the trials and when she jumped and wanted to be there, I was okay with it,” he said wryly.

“If you look at the way the races have been playing, they have been flying down the outside. I wasn’t in the greatest spot and wanted to get off [the rail] as soon as I could and luckily got the drag into it behind Sam Collett [on Rareza].

“She is a class horse who has been competitive at the top level and her class got her there today.

“When she has won, she has won with authority and that has what she has done today.”

Bred by the Reids, Hi Yo Sass Bomb has now had six wins and four placings from her 25 starts, earning $392,770 for her connections.

Meanwhile, the Matamata Cup was one of three races abandoned at Matamata on Saturday after surface water pooled on the track in back straight.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing will work with the club to find a new date for the black-type race.

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk