Racing: Nordic Hero set to continue on winning way at Matamata

Nordic Hero. Photo / Trish Dunell

Perseverance with the well-related Nordic Hero is being rewarded after the half-brother by Fastnet Rock to the Cox Plate winner Ocean Park showed no early signs of living up to his pedigree.

"He didn't do much at all at the trials and it just shows you have to press on and give each horse his chance," trainer Stephen Marsh said.

"His first up run was quite good and he's just kept improving since then."

While Nordic Hero is of illustrious parentage, his only focus is on the race track. "He got very heavy so it was decided very early on to geld him. He's owned in Hong Kong and that didn't worry them."

Nordic Hero was a debut fourth at Hawera in May before he won a mile maiden on a heavy track at Pukekohe Park last month.

"He just loves the mud, the wetter the better and I think he's going to be a pretty handy horse over ground next winter."

In the meantime, there is confidence in the three-year-old making his presence felt in the Hi Tech Floor Scrubbers Handicap at Matamata today. "I can't see any reason why he can't continue on his winning way," Marsh said.

Second-up improvement is expected from the English-bred mare Cosmic Storm at Matamata today.

The daughter of Sea The Stars was unplaced in her first start from Mark Forbes' stable, but received a pass mark from rider Danielle Johnson.

"Danielle got off her and was very bullish and the step up in trip will suit her," Forbes said.

Cosmic Storm's sole win in eight starts in England came in a Salisbury maiden over a mile, a distance she will cover in the Floor Scrubbers Handicap.

- NZ Racing Desk