Record-priced $1.65m juvenile Hostility set to make debut

Record-breaking colt Hostility will make his debut at Matamata today. Photo / Trish Dunell

There’s plenty of anticipation ahead of regally-bred colt Hostility’s raceday debut at Matamata today.

Purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis out of Kiltannon Stables’ New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale draft for $1.65 million last November, there has been much fanfare surrounding the sale-topper over the last few months.

By I Am Invincible, and out of Group 1-winning mare Shillelagh, Hostility has won both of his trials to date and trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are looking forward to stepping him out for the first time on raceday at their home track’s midweek meeting.

“He has been faultless here at home, touch wood it can continue on Wednesday,” Bergerson said. “He has got a fantastic temperament, he is a very laidback customer, and his trials have been super.

“It looks like he has got a fantastic turn of foot. He has just got to go out there and put it all together on raceday now, but Gryllsy [jockey Craig Grylls] knows him well. From barrier seven, we will just see how he jumps, but we are really excited to see him finally step out.”

A Group 1 tilt is in the offing if Hostility performs up to expectations.

“If he was to run well, we could potentially have a look at the Manawatū Sires’ [Group 1, 1400m] with him,” Bergerson said.

The stable is also looking forward to seeing the race-day return of stakes-performed mare Sense Of Timing, who hasn’t been sighted on raceday for nearly a year.

She will make her return in Wednesday’s Blue Pacific Minerals 1200, where she will jump from barrier 11 and will get the aid of apprentice jockey Triston Moodley’s four-kilogram claim.

“Unfortunately for her, she has just had a few setbacks and then went all the way down to Ōtaki and they cancelled the meeting,” Bergerson said.

“She hasn’t had a lot of luck over the last 12 months, but I am excited to see her back on her home track.

“We have elected to keep her in the [rating] 65 and claim. I thought her trials were good, so we are looking forward to finally getting her back to the races.”

Looking ahead to the weekend, Te Akau will have a two-pronged attack in Saturday’s Group 2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga courtesy of Wild Night and What You Wish For.

“Wild Night is back from Australia, so we are excited to see him back in New Zealand,” Bergerson said. “It hasn’t gone to plan over there, he was probably stiff not to win the Cranbourne Cup [Listed, 1600m] first-up and just hasn’t had a lot of luck and was disappointing there last time [last in the Listed The Elms Handicap, 1400m].

“Back to New Zealand, he seems happy and well here at home. He won at Tauranga before heading over to Aussie, so we are looking forward to him.

“What You Wish For is in good form. We have freshened him up from the Kaimāī Stakes [Listed, 2000m] and if he were to run well, he could potentially head to the Awapuni Gold Cup [Group 2, 2100m].

“We think they are two nice chances.”

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk