Racing: Top names move on

Two days before it was announced Paul O'Sullivan had gained a contract to train in Hong Kong he denied knowing anything about it.

NZPA spoke to O'Sullivan on May 2 and when asked if he was going to Hong Kong, O'Sullivan replied: "No. I know nothing about that one."

On May 4 it was confirmed O'Sullivan had gained one of the most sought-after positions in world racing. Hong Kong racing is among the richest in the world and the financial rewards for a trainer or jockey can be highly lucrative.

O'Sullivan's initial denial was good form for Hong Kong. He may or may not have known the position was his at the time but as he later recounted, what he did know was it was unwise to make premature comments.

O'Sullivan became the first New Zealand trainer to be awarded a Hong Kong contract. He left to set up his stable in June, did not have his first runner until November but following the international meeting on December 12 had posted six wins - a good result for a newcomer.

O'Sullivan's stable in Matamata was taken over by younger brother, former champion jockey Lance, who had retired from riding the year before.

It was ironic that Lance O'Sullivan should take the reins of the stable as he had previously said on a number of occasions he was not interested in becoming a trainer when he finished riding.

Lance O'Sullivan was probably wishing he hadn't in the early stages when the weeks passed without a winner. It was more than two months before he posted his first win, at Matamata on October 2 when Our Kitty prevailed in the day's last race. O'Sullivan said afterwards: "Relief. That's the best way to describe it."

Another on the move this year was former star apprentice Michael Walker. He left for Melbourne in May but by this month had already returned.

It was not that success had eluded Walker in Melbourne.

In his first week of being based across the Tasman he rode 30-1 outsider Monde Special to win the $A100,000 ($NZ108,000) Warrnambool Cup (2350m) on May 6. The following month he gained his first Australian group one win when partnering Danestorm in the $A500,000 Brisbane Cup (3200m).

However, as time went by, he was not setting alight the Melbourne racing scene as he had done in New Zealand.

His return to New Zealand was for personal reasons, according to his Melbourne manager Bruce Clark, who added Walker's future remained in Australia. It is expected Walker will return to Australia at the end of summer.

Walker said he was not disappointed with his initial term in Melbourne.

"Definitely happy," he told NZPA. "I came here and got a group one. Things slowed up over the spring carnival but you would expect that with all the best riders in Australia here."

The spring carnival was notable for New Zealand's lack of success.

One of the few highlights was victory by Miss Potential in the $A500,000 Nestle Peters Classic (1600m) for fillies and mares at Flemington on October 30. She downed hotpot Alinghi in the group one race.

The win provided some redemption for Waikato trainer and part-owner Bill Borrie who the previous week had seen Miss Potential finish well back in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

Glowing in the spotlight after the Cox Plate was Sydney-based New Zealand trainer Graeme Rogerson.

He produced three-year-old Savabeel to win the Cox Plate after what would have to be one of the greatest public tips by a trainer.

Spring racing received an early boost in New Zealand with the presence of the Queensland-trained stallion Starcraft for the Hawke's Bay carnival.

He arrived in New Zealand with a reputation that some suspected was highly inflated. But a stunning first-up win in the Mudgway Stakes in August would have converted most doubters.

Starcraft upped the ante when he won the Stoney Bridge Stakes at his next start in September and he looked a home run for his main mission, the $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes in October.

The Hastings crowd was again left stunned after the Kelt, but on this occasion at Starcraft's defeat. Balmuse strode past the hot favourite and left the Starcraft camp with no apparent excuse other than the horse became stirred up before the race.

The form of Starcraft failed to lift when he went to Melbourne. After he ran third in the Cox Plate it was revealed the horse had been diagnosed with a torn chest muscle and a stress fracture at the top of a front leg.

- NZPA