That was quite a day. It’s always memorable to win a race on a Premier Day, but to win two, including a marquee event, at what I’ve always considered to be New Zealand’s leading racecourse, is more than a little special.
Our homebred Riviera Rock (5g Road to Rock – Sheezashotseye by Cicerao) prevailed in Race 3, a R85 2500 event, by an admittedly diminishing margin. Superbly ridden by Leah Hemi, he’s an on-pace runner who lumped 58.5kg to victory in the respectable time of 2:35.97. He’s not the easiest horse to train, having a more than impatient mindset, but Graham and Michael Eade have once again worked their magic with a Cloughmore horse, following in the hoofprints of La Nouvelle Vague, Comanche Gold, Tuscany Rose and the ill-fated Amigo.
The Dee and Gee saga has been thoroughly documented elsewhere on this site. Suffice it to say that our Cloughmore Racing Partnership still retains a minority share in the Darci Brahma mare, currently raced on lease by the Corbett-Charles partnership. Yes, there is a ROP clause in the lease agreement and yes, we are resigned to losing our interest in her for what now appears to be a paltry sum, but at least we can congratulate ourselves on selecting a very good stayer who just won the New Zealand Cup and… No. there aren’t too many more positives to add. Racing is nothing if not character-building.
It’s worth noting that Leah Hemi also piloted Dee and Gee to victory. She’s one under-rated rider.
Let’s hope that both horses continue on their winning way.
