Challenge Stakes To O'Cartier
- Saturday, 19 December 2009 13:45
Under fifty-eight and a half kilograms last time, fifty-nine at WFA, O'Cartier had clocked terrific sectionals when winning in 1:22.71 over 1400 metres at Riccarton on Cup Day, November 14, and again with Chris Johnson aboard he ran 1:22.40 off the front to record a memorable win for the South Island.
Trained at Balcairn, north of Christchurch near Amberley, by John and Karen Parsons, O'Cartier may throw his near foreleg to a degree, but he gets it down fast enough to have notched thirteen victories, and as Karen Parsons told Trackside, he is courageous.
"When he's fighting it out in front, he fights like a tiger. He's such a brave horse, a very special horse", she said.
Starting as second favourite, O'Cartier held the challenge on his inner of the favourite Il Quello Veloce, to draw away by one and a quarter lengths at the line.
The same margin away, fellow Cantabrian Hold It Harvey finished third, from the stable of Terri Rae, with a narrow gap to fourth placed Sharp Princess, who punched well above her weight as the winner of only three races.
His support on the tote was shared in confidence by the camp of the Bev Jones owned and bred star.
"Fairly confident", was how Karen Parsons summed up his chances, "His work before he came up here was very, very good. As good a work as he's done for a long time."
After a $4000 service fee with Berkley Stud stallion My Halo, the sire of more than forty winners in New Zealand, O'Cartier has achieved earnings of $300,000, with more in store as he eyes the Thorndon Mile at Trentham and Waikato Draught Sprint at Te Rapa as upcoming assignments.
