Racing: Ric O'Shea seeks northern glory

Ric O'Shea is now being trained by Lisa Latta.Picture / Otago Daily Times

Ric O'Shea's immediate racing future lies in the North Island after a second placing in the Marlborough Cup on Sunday.

The 6-year-old fought bravely in the 1950m feature in a race that will be remembered for David Walsh's winning ride on Willy Duggan to break Lance O'Sullivan's record of 2359 wins in New Zealand.

It was his first start for Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta and his performance at Waterlea convinced Latta to change her mind about his targets, his Palmerston owner/breeder, Andy Denham, said.

"He's actually gone to the North Island now after that race," Denham said.

"It wasn't the real plan but Lisa thought there are a few cups races up there, as in the Taumarunui Cup [on July 5] and a few others which we might target and see how he goes."

The decision to place Ric O'Shea with Latta after spending his career with Wingatui trainer Steven Prince had been difficult, but Denham hoped a change of environment might spark up the 2013 White Robe Lodge Hcp winner. "The horse hadn't done that well this season and we just thought we might try another direction and see if someone else could put a finger on anything," he said.

"Because Latta has got the stable in both islands [Awapuni and Riccarton], it allowed the opportunity to go north.

"The competition will be a bit stiffer - I'm not going to race him forever and a day if he's only going to get fifth or sixth. So, it's just another approach might hit a button and see what he does." Otago Daily Times