Proisir 2YO Sergeant Major Headed to Australia - Waller or Maher?

Media Release - Tuesday March 26

Gavin Sharrock is confident his young protégé Sergeant Major can sign off his New Zealand career in perfect style.

Following his recent sale, exciting juvenile Sergeant Major will have one final run in New Zealand before continuing his racing career in Australia.   Photo: Race Images Palmerston North

The Stratford trainer’s well-related two-year-old son of champion sire Proisir will take aim at the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham on Saturday week.

“He has been sold, but the new owner Ozzie Kheir wants me to carry on with him until after the Sires’ and then he’ll go to either Chris Waller or Ciaron Maher,” Sharrock said.

Sergeant Major ran second on debut at Otaki behind Final Force, who had previously placed in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), before he impressively went one better at Trentham to attract Kheir’s attention.

His maiden success was all the more meritorious as he had reared at the start and hung throughout before unleashing a powerful finishing burst wide out on the track.

“He had never run crooked in his life and then I saw the replay and he got his tongue over the bit so he (Sam Weatherley, jockey) wouldn’t have been able to steer him,” Sharrock said.

“That’s probably why he went up when he jumped, the bit’s hit him under the tongue.

“I’ve put a tongue control bit on him and he’s worked every day in that and accepted it and everything should be fine.

“He is a freak and he’s from a staying family and he will be far better at 1400m than 1200m. He hasn’t missed a beat and is jumping out of his skin.”

Sergeant Major was bred and raced by Gavin O’Dea, with the seven-figure deal brokered by bloodstock agent Melissa Robinson.

Advertisement

Hawera accountant O’Dea has enjoyed a successful association with Sharrock through Sergeant Major’s multiple stakes winning brother Soldier Boy and their sister Vancooga, runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

Another sister is currently being broken in and the mare is in foal to Vanbrugh while Vancooga has a yearling filly by Vadamos.

Sharrock and O’Dea are looking forward to a big day out at Trentham on April 6.

“It would nice if we could get a family double with Soldier Boy, running in the Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr.2, 2000m),” Sharrock said.

The five-year-old is expected to be a major improver off the back of a pair of lead-up outings.

“He’s going well and he’s just taken a couple of runs to get him back because I put him out on dairy land for six weeks and he came back as big as a bull,” Sharrock said.

Soldier Boy has won on four occasions, including Listed successes in the Marton Cup (2200m) and the Wanganui Guineas (1340m).

He also has a runner-up finish to his credit in the Gr.3 Taranaki Cup (1800m) and ran fourth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m). – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Dominant Maiden Victory for Godolphin’s Burma Star
Having his second start for the Chris Waller stable, Godolphin’s 3yo Exceed And Excel colt Burma Star had race fitness on his side as he ploughed through the wet to win the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Handicap (1100m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
New SW Proisir - Sergeant Major wins Listed South Pacific
Former Kiwi Sergeant Major recorded a strong victory in the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday as the three-year-old son of Proisir made a deserved Australian breakthrough.
G1 York International Delivers Nail Biting Spectacle
Last year the Group I Juddmonte International (1m2 ½ f) at York produced a virtuoso performance from City of Troy (USA), who will be paraded at Coolmore Australia this Sunday and the overnight renewal of the race produced a Pride of Jenni like spectacle before the favourite Ombudsman prevailed to win.
Debut Winner for Hanseatic
Rosemont Stud’s Hanseatic is on the board with his first winner of the new season after Humble Trader did a great job to win on debut at Sandown on Wednesday.
Twain Chasing Family History
Twain will be out to replicate the deeds of his dam when he heads to Te Rapa on Saturday to contest the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Feature Race Entries Running Today
The spring carnival is rapidly approaching and midweek metro meetings provide a fertile ground for new talent to emerge so let’s take a look at the runners at Warwick Farm and Sandown today that hold feature race entries.
Yulong Head Entries for 2026 G1 Blue Diamond Stakes
The Melbourne Racing Club is pleased to confirm 1,456 nominations have been received for the 2026 edition of the $2 million Group 1 Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), Victoria’s richest premier race for two-year-olds to be run on Saturday 21 February.  
Farnan Half-Sister Bolts in at Warwick Farm
When a half-sister by Zoustar to Golden Slipper winner Farnan sells for just $250,000 at Inglis Easter you would be entitled to wonder what was wrong with her, but it turns out lack of size does not mean lack of ability.
First Foal for Woodside Park Stud’s Benbatl
On our tour of the Victorian studs last week we visited Woodside Park Stud and while new recruit Celestial Legend was the star attraction it was hard not be impressed by Dubawi’s globe-trotting son Benbatl (GB), who has his first Australian bred foal on the ground.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 20
Here is the full list of 35 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.