Chrissy Bambry completed a winning double at Trentham on Sunday with her talented stayers led by Opawa Jack (Fresh Zealand) (War Decree) at Taylors Property Plus 2100.
The son of War Decree made a good jump under Kate Hercock and found a good position behind Sailor Jack early on, with race favorite Manifique settling at the back. The speed was just leisurely as they streamed down the back straight and headed home. Opawa Jack and Sailor Jack put the pressure on and left the rest of the field behind.
The pair battled all the way down the long Trentham Straight, with Manifique the only runner able to make up ground, and although she was impressively close, Opawa Jack managed to keep the ball by half a head, while Sailor Jack only managed one had half a head back in third place.
Bambry was delighted with her gelding but admitted she did not expect the win to come ahead of Sunday's meeting.
“I wasn't so sure to be fair, I told his owners in Christchurch not to fly because I didn't think he had a chance of winning, so they proved me wrong,” she said.
“We just take him race by race, but there are some nice summer trophies for him.”
Opawa Jack was bred by Brian and Lorraine Anderton of White Robe Lodge and purchased for $40,000 from their draft at the 2021 Karaka Yearling Sales. He went on to earn $138,500 with seven wins from 28 starts for Bambry and the rest of his ownership group.
Bambry was back in the winner's circle in quick succession at Trentham and won the following race with a progressive stayer Phats (NZ) (Beautify).
The Embellish gelding put in a solid performance in his final preparation, securing a tardy three-year-old campaign across the ditch where he finished third in two lucrative age-group stay contests in Victoria.
Returning to his home country, Phats put in three solid performances over a mile before moving up to his preferred middle distance division in the Hardy Trade Supply 2100, where he started a deserved $3.70 favorite.
In the hands of the flying tire Masa Hashizume, the gelding broke away from the fence in midfield and marched behind at a good pace. One of his biggest threats, Mr. Twinkletoes, burst into the lead at the top of the straight and posed a challenge to Phats, but in the final steps he overtook the front and took the win by a wide margin.
The race was one of six automatic qualifying races for the $350,000 Remutaka Classic (2100m) held at the track during Wellington Cup Week, a spot Bambry is hoping to take on with her promising galloper.
“He’s in the Remutaka now with the golden ticket so he’ll probably go to the Marton Cup (Listed, 2200m) two weeks beforehand,” she said.
Phats, a home-bred galloper, is owned by Bambry along with her parents Tony and Judith and Luca and Simon Luoni. The success was his second in 18 starts and exceeded the $100,000 stakes.
