Wiremu Pinn gets tactics spot on to help David Greene to first Group 1 success

La Dorada returned to her best form in the $400,000 Levin Classic at Trentham on Saturday. Photo / Peter Rubery

One of New Zealand’s most under-rated horses and a jockey with a mind of his own combined to give Te Rapa trainer David Greene his first Group 1 victory in the $550,000 TAB Telegraph at Trentham on Saturday.

First Five upset the favourites in one of our elite sprint races after sitting without cover close to the speed in the hands of Wiremu Pinn before overpowering Navigator with defending champion Grail Seeker running on well for third.

Hot favourite Tomodachi was a solid fourth but her racing style was not ideally suited by the lack of hot tempo in the race, meaning those closer to the rail were favoured.

That was what jockey Pinn had predicted might happen so he was positive on First Five and punched him out of the gates and into the spot outside the leader, which would usually be less than ideal in the searching 1200m of the Telegraph.

“I didn’t know what to think when he was outside the leader, I wasn’t sure if that was bad or good,” Greene said.

“But this is a huge thrill. To finally get a Group 1 for these owners who have been so loyal to me means so much.”


Greene has always been a respected trainer but rarely takes home the best bred stock from the yearling sales and has had to make the most of what he gets.

He has a good horse on his hands with First Five, whose victory continues a superb summer for Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor, better known for producing 1600m-plus horses than top-class sprinters.

First Five is still untapped and may eventually be at his most potent over 1600m and while the Railway is three weeks away at Ellerslie, Greene could be forgiven for aiming his new stable star at their biggest home track sprint, the BCD Sprint over 1400m at Te Rapa on February 7.

“I think he will eventually end up at his best over 1600m because he relaxes so well but has such a great turn of foot,” Pinn said.

“I know not everybody would like to see their horse ridden like that, outside the leader in a big Group 1 sprint, but I had thought there would be no tempo so I had to trust my instincts.

“I missed riding him when he won last start at Te Rapa because I was suspended, so I have to thank the owners for supporting me, as they have right from when I started riding.”

First Five races in the colours of breeder Gerald Shand, a long-time investor in both equine codes who shares in the ownership with his family.

Appropriately for rugby union fans, First Five was wearing the No 10 saddlecloth today, as he was when he won the J Swap Sprint at Te Rapa last start and for one of his earlier wins.

His days of wearing No 10 are all but behind him though as he is going to be one of our highest-rated sprinters after Saturday’s win.

A race earlier, last season’s champion juvenile La Dorada put her career back on track with victory in the $400,000 Levin Classic.

Even her biggest fans could have been worried about La Dorada’s willingness and/or development after a sub-par spring and then her last start performance at Te Rapa but she roared back to something like her best in the Group 2.

Settling midfield on the fence for premiership leader Craig Grylls, La Dorada exploded when the gaps came to peg back Swiss Prince with the heavily-backed James McDonald ride Argo a brave third.

The timing could hardly be better for La Dorada as the daughter of Super Seth is now the second favourite for the $1.5 million Karaka Millions Three-Year-Old at Ellerslie on January 24.

Her ownership managers Te Akau also hold a slot for the $4m NZB Kiwi at Ellerslie on March 7, so now she is back in winning form La Dorada could have some serious races on her dance card.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.