Chase scores sentimental win at Otaki

Media Release - Thursday November 30

Johnathan Parkes has had many memorable wins throughout his riding career, but his victory aboard Chase at Otaki on Thursday would feature right up there sentimentally.

Chase winning at Otaki on Thursday.  Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

The Central Districts jockey, who has a close connection with the name, had been wanting to ride the Group One performer for some time and finally got his chance in the Central Districts Trainers’ Association (1600m).

The son of Zed was slow away out of the gates and quickly found himself in a significant deficit behind his opposition. He had to live up to his name and chase down the pack, which he achieved down the backstraight.

Parkes had to keep his charge up to the mark and the pair still had all but one of their rivals in front of them when turning for home. Parkes picked a path between the pack and Chase was able to slowly reel in the front-runners and score a head victory over pacemaker Sagunto.

Trainer Stephen Nickalls was rapt with the win and was full of praise for Parkes’ ride.

“Johnathan has rung me over the last couple of years to try and ride him and it just has never quite worked out,” Nickalls said.

“He had a very good mate called Chase, who passed away, and he has always wanted to ride the horse. The fact that he could get a win like that was pretty special and he never stopped trying.”

Chase was fresh-up on Thursday, having last raced when last in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings last month, and Nickalls had been pleased with his work ahead of his return.

“After the Livamol he popped a stone bruise out. Whether that was affecting him then I don’t know,” he said.

Advertisement

“His last few track gallops he had to carry me and there is a bit of weight difference between me and Parksy, and he went well.”

The victory was a big thrill for Nickalls and his family, with Chase taking pride of place at their Rangiotu property.

“Gary (Knight), my father-in-law, who part-owns him with myself went down and it was a big thrill for the whole family,” Nickalls said.

“He is my daughter’s horse, she goes out and catches him and brings him in at night. He is a real family pet and he has given us so many thrills.”

An elite-level assignment now awaits Chase, with a tilt at the Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m) at Trentham next week on the cards if the wet weather stays around.

“We will see what the weather does, the sting out of the track obviously suits him and slows a couple of those fast ones down on a really good track,” Nickalls said.

“If the rain hangs around then we will look at Wellington, there is the TAB Classic there, which he was third in last year.”

NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Central Districts Trainers Association Hcp 1600m

Otaki Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:35.40
1
Chase
- 7g Zed (NZ) x Dantessa (NZ) (Danasinga (AUS))
Tnr: S Nickalls Rdr: J Parkes 58.5
2
0.2
Sagunto
- 8g O'reilly (NZ) x Queen Sabeel (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Peter & Shaun McKay Rdr: K L Chung 57.5
3
0.4
Accidental Tourist
- 4g Telperion (AUS) x Megara (NZ) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: W B Kennedy 54
4
1.2
Devastate
- 4g Vadamos (FR) x Passion Cut (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: A C Goindasamy 57
5
2.5
Kick On
- 6g Per Incanto (USA) x Kick Back (NZ) (Bahhare (USA))
Tnr: K T Myers Rdr: L Sutherland 57
6
5.5
Diomedes
- 5g Echoes Of Heaven (AUS) x Break Free (NZ) (Bertolini (USA))
Tnr: K A Pertab Rdr: M Cameron 54
7
6
Leaderboard
- 9g Street Cry (IRE) x Flower Fairy (USA) (Dynaformer (USA))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: N S Parmar 55.5
8
18
Deerfield
- 10g Falkirk (NZ) x The Dazzler (NZ) (Centaine (AUS))
Tnr: C A Bambry Rdr: L T Hemi 57
More Reading...
Crossbow Takes Aim At Flemington To Score
With quality efforts behind handy horses in his first three starts, trainer Chris Waller crossed the border to Victoria with instant success for the Star Thoroughbreds raced Crossbow, with the well-marked son of Better Than Ready breaking through for an impressive win.
Zed Gelding Wins G3 Metric Mile
Talented winter galloper Herengawe came of age at Awapuni on Saturday when he out-toughed his rivals to score his first win at stakes level when he took out the Group III Boehringer Ingelheim Metric Mile (1600m).
Sliding Doors Moment Delivers Feel Good Winner at Rosehill
Two fillies were born at Yulong in 2021 sired by Alabama Express from imported North American daughters of Street Cry, one of them is triple Group I winner Treasurethe Moment and the other is the feel good winner of the day at Rosehill on Saturday.
King of Roseau Wins G3 Aurie’s Star
Placed in the Listed VRC Poseidon Stakes at Flemington last spring as a three year-old behind Growing Empire, Capitalist gelding King of Roseau returned to the same venue on Saturday to capture the Group III VRC Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 2
Here is the full list of 101 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Cox Plate or Caulfield Cup? - Verry Elleegant Back On Track
Champion trainer Chris Waller will sit down with connections to determine whether to target the Cox Plate or Caulfield Cup with the four-year-old mare Verry Elleegant who scored a last stride win over the oh so gallant Samadoubt in Saturday’s Group II Hill Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.
G3 Winter Cup Winner for Zed
Central Districts raider Dez took out Saturday’s Group III Winning Edge Presentations 122nd Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton courtesy of a peach of a ride from master jockey Chris Johnson.
Kiwi Bred Keeps Winners Coming for Payne Stable
The Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained Bold Soul has been a consistent performer right through the winter months and notched another win at Flemington when prevailing in the VRC Membership Renewals Open (2530m) on Saturday.
Dual Group Winner Too Darn Good At Flemington
A dual group winner during the Spring of her 3yo season, talented mare Too Darn Discreet showed an electric turn of foot, charging home over the top of them to win the Melbourne Cup Carnival On Sale (1620m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Kosciuszko calling Rosehill winner Elson Boy
Dubbo-trained Elson Boy was back in the winner’s circle after a 412-day absence when leading throughout to land the Jockeys Celebration Day Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill in the hands of apprentice William Stanley.