Horse racing: Sprinter ready to shock in NZ Group One raid

Australian raider Here To Shock will contest Saturday's Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint. Photo / Bruno Cannatelli

Well-performed Lindsay Park representative Here To Shock is back in familiar territory and thriving in his build-up to Saturday’s feature sprint at Te Rapa.

The New Zealand-bred 7-year-old arrived without incident last week for a crack at the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) with top Sydney jockey Nash Rawiller booked to ride the son of Shocking.

“He’s all good to go and flew over on Thursday night and arrived safely on Friday morning and is staying with Stephen Marsh,” said Ben Hayes, who trains with brothers Will and JD.

The winner of A$2.4 million ($2.65m), Here To Shock carries the colours of syndicator Slade Bloodstock, who purchased him out of Cambridge Stud’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $70,000.

“We were talking with Rob Slade about our options and maybe running him in the Orr (Gr.1, 1400m) or taking him to Sydney and then we looked at New Zealand out of interest,” Hayes said.

“We saw this race and think it’s a very good opportunity for him to add a Group One to his CV.

“He’s in great form and had a lot of success travelling for us already, so we know he travels well.”

During his spring campaign, Here To Shock won the Gr.3 Cameron Handicap (1400m) and the A$1.5 million Allan Brown Stakes (1400m).

He returned from a break to claim top honours in the $1 million Supernova (1400m) in December and won a 1000m trial at Geelong later last month before departing.

“He’s a horse that has always been an enthusiastic worker at home and he’s very straight forward and knows his job,” Hayes said.

Here To Shock was bred by the Sunlight Trust and is a son of the Lonhro mare Frescoes, also the dam of stakes winner Turn The Ace, and has proved to be a lot sharper than his pedigree may have at first suggested.

“I think 1400m is really his pet distance, so we’ve worked him out and hopefully he’s in good enough form to be very competitive in the Group One in New Zealand,” Hayes said.

“He has been stretched out to a mile a couple of times and run well, but we feel with his racing style and high cruising speed it (the BCD) is the ideal race.

“It will be quite competitive with Annabel (Neasham) sending one (Bosustow) over and with the New Zealand horses with form it will be a really good race to watch.”

The stable also has an outstanding top-flight prospect on the home front on Saturday with New Zealand-bred cult hero and A$16.4 million earner Mr Brightside to resume in the Gr.1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

“We are very happy with him and all his work into the race has been great,” Hayes said.

“His last trial, just like Here To Shock, was perfect and exactly what we wanted to see so both of them have great chances.”

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk