Racing: Ekstreme too good for Capt Cook field

The Waimea Racing Syndicate must enjoy every occasion outstanding jockey Opie Bosson rides their pride and joy Ekstreme - a determined winner of the $200,000 (Group One) Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham yesterday.

Bosson has fashioned an outstanding strike rate on the Bryce Revell-trained mare, two wins and two second placings from five starts.

The only "miss" was a commendable sixth placing in the Queensland Oaks in Brisbane.

Bosson produced another clinical and aggressive ride on the 4-year-old, settling back off the early speed before striding four and five wide on the home turn to challenge the leaders.

Ekstreme unleashed a sustained and powerful sprint down the outer to score by a long neck over the pace-setting longshot Veloz with a further neck back to Fritzy Boy (third).

While all honours were with the winner - who had to sprint hard a lot earlier than many predicted - spare a thought for the unlucky Culminate.

The Stephen McKee-trained mare had a dream sit behind the leaders but couldn't gain clear galloping room the length of the home straight and was seventh.

The favourite, Tell A Tale, took an eternity to make ground on the leaders in the home straight and finished just under three lengths from the winner.

The impressive Group One victory will only strengthen the immense broodmare value of Ekstreme who has scored five wins and three minor placings from 20 starts.

VINNIE COLGAN took full advantage of a handy barrier draw with Joey Massino in the $85,000 (Group Two) Avondale Guineas and produced a clinical, front-running ride to score a narrow victory.

Joey Massino jumped to the front in the 1600m event for 3-year-olds and was allowed to control the speed. He showed plenty of courage in the home stretch defying a persistent challenge from Finderskeepers to score by a short head.

A further half-length away third was Celtic Fantasy.

The first three place-getters held those positions throughout, underlining the dominance of on-the-speed runners.

Joey Massino is a well-bred colt sired by Waikato Stud-based stallion O'Reilly and, much like his sire, is an athlete with a high cruising speed - proven by his unbeaten record in three starts at 1600m.

Matamata trainer Peter McKay has done an outstanding job conditioning Joey Massino for this Group Two assignment, especially after taking him with the stable team to Christchurch for Cup Week last month.

Finderskeepers was given every chance of victory, tracking the pace-making winner throughout the running.

The on-the-speed orientated finish to this race made if difficult to get a line on any of the other runners. A track saturated with heavy rain may also have tripped up several runners.

TODD MITCHELL is starting to produce a strike rate of which rival thoroughbred trainers would be jealous.

Mitchell is a leading harness racing trainer-driver who over the past 18 months has stepped into the thoroughbred industry achieving pleasing results.

The "Wizard" originally organised the syndication of 5-year-old mare Electronic Socks placing her under the care of Cambridge-based trainer Paul Duncan.

Electronic Socks had a handful of starts for Duncan before spelling and then being transferred into Mitchell's dual code stable.

She completed impressive back-to-back wins when overpowering a useful field of rivals in the $13,000 Dunstan Stayers Series at Avondale. This followed a similar performance two starts ago at Te Rapa.

Regular jockey Andy Webb settled Electronic Socks at the rear before striding around the field three wide to challenge the leaders with 600m remaining.

Electronic Socks showed plenty of stamina and class clearing out from the opposition to win by 1 lengths over Affairoftheheart with a further three lengths back to Porrello (third).

With three wins and four minor placings from 16 starts, Electronic Socks is worth following over the summer.