Tavistock 3YO Wins G3 Manawatu Classic

Media Release - Saturday April 6

Waikato horseman Chad Ormsby is making a habit of landing major prizes at Trentham with three-year-olds that he was unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale.

Ormsby scored an $18 upset victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic (2100m) with Outovstock, who he bought for $50,000 as a yearling at Karaka before passing him in with a $150,000 reserve at the 2022 Ready to Run Sale.

A similar script produced Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) glory on March 16 with Pulchritudinous, who was a $32,500 yearling purchase and fell short of her $50,000 reserve at the Ready to Run Sale. Ormsby’s Oaks heroine banked $390,000 in prize-money before being sold to clients of Sydney trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Outovstock took his own earnings to the brink of $100,000 with Saturday’s Manawatu Classic heroics, which came in his first appearance at black-type level.

“We’ve had a pretty good run with these horses that we couldn’t sell,” Ormsby said. “We try to back ourselves with the horses that we buy and then offer at the Ready to Run Sale. To get results like this win today, along with what the filly did in the Oaks, it’s so rewarding and it really enhances our Riverrock Farm brand. We want to be known for producing quality racetrack performers.”

Outovstock has made giant strides over the course of his three-year-old season. The son of Tavistock finished seventh or eighth in all of his first three appearances in the spring, but has come back a different horse in the summer and autumn.

He showed promising signs with fourth placings in his first two runs back, then came of age with a stylish maiden win over 1600m at Pukekohe on February 21. The runner-up in that race was Investigate, who filled the same placing behind him in Saturday’s Manawatu Classic.

In his only start since that maiden win, Outovstock stretched out over 2100m for the first time with a brave second in testing heavy ground at Tauranga on March 23.

Advertisement

Outovstock arrived at Trentham with a formline on an upward trajectory, but it still paled in comparison to some of his rivals in Saturday’s $120,000 feature – most notably the odds-on favourite Just As Sharp, who had chased home superstar filly Orchestral when third in the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), second in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and fourth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).

Outovstock clears his rivals to score an upset in Saturday’s Gr.3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic (2100m) at Trentham.   Photo: Race Images PN

Just As Sharp had the right run to live up to his $1.60 odds, and rider Ryan Elliot drove him to the lead early in the run home. But then Outovstock and Investigate emerged from the pack and turned the race on its head.

They powered past the favourite in the blink of an eye, with Outovstock pulling ahead of Investigate to win impressively by two and a quarter lengths. Investigate took second, with Just As Sharp another length and a half away in third.

“We came into today with our fingers crossed that he might be able to produce a performance like that,” Ormsby said. “Getting up over ground has definitely been the making of him. Michael McNab said he’s still racing quite keenly and has a bit more to learn, but the further he goes, the better he’s going to be.

“He’s probably still six months away. I think he’s going to make a lovely four-year-old in time. But he showed today what he’s capable of, and I think that pedigree came through a little bit as well.

“We’ve ended up being lucky with how it’s all panned out. The New Zealand Derby was originally our target, but he wasn’t quite ready for it and we changed tack. We unfortunately struck that heavy track last start, but he surprised me with the way he really stuck his neck out and tried hard. It was a strong performance in his first time up over ground, and it gave us a bit of confidence that he might be competitive today.

“He won that pretty impressively, so we might have to think about the Queensland Derby (Gr.1, 2400m). That’s not too far away now, so we’ll probably give him 10 days in the paddock for now and then see what happens from there.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.

Advertisment

Race Result - Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic Gr3 2100m

Trentham Track: Soft(5) Time: 2:13.00
1
Outovstock
- 3c Tavistock (NZ) x Orphea (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: C K Ormsby Rdr: M J Mc Nab 57
2
2.3
Investigate
- 3g Dundeel (NZ) x Mitigate (GB) (Lawman (FR))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: S R Weatherley 57
3
3.8
Just As Sharp
- 3g Swiss Ace (AUS) x Readyor (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: R T Elliot 57
4
4
Moonlight Magic
- 3f Almanzor (FR) x Japonica (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: C J Grylls 55
5
5.5
Sheaf
- 3f Eminent (IRE) x Canashito (GB) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: K T Myers Rdr: V A Colgan 55
6
6.3
Black Betty
- 3f Zed (NZ) x Lonhrielle (NZ) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: J R Wheeler Rdr: K R Hercock 55
7
8.8
Monday Melody
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x Flora De Mariposa (AUS) (Frankel (GB))
Tnr: L O'sullivan & A Scott Rdr: M Hashizume 57
8
9.6
Balance Of Power
- 3c Almanzor (FR) x Respin (NZ) (Power (GB))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: W B Kennedy 57
9
13.9
Platinumgeneration
- 3c Ace High (AUS) x Rue Mai (NZ) (Azamour (IRE))
Tnr: Ms L Latta Rdr: Joe Doyle 57
10
15.9
Wren
- 3f Vespa (NZ) x Dottie (NZ) (Nom Du Jeu (NZ))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: M Cameron 55
11
18.2
Chantilly Lace
- 3f U S Navy Flag (USA) x On The Move (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: C A Bambry Rdr: S C Spratt 55
12
20
Danjuro
- 3g Saxon Warrior (JPN) x Kabuki (NZ) (Shinko King (IRE))
Tnr: Peter Didham Rdr: W F Pinn 57
More Reading...
Impressive First Winner for St Marks Basilica
Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) was the 2021 European Horse of the Year and the son of Siyouni is on the board as a sire with his first winner after Rogue Supremacy scored an impressive debut victory.
In-Demand Stallions Feature in NZB Weanling Sale Catalogue
The catalogue for the 2025 NZB National Weanling Sale features the progeny of a broad range of sires, from proven topliners to exciting up-and-comers as well as the brand-new kid on the block, Profondo.
Pride of Jenni to Visit I Am Invincible - Match Made in Heaven
Three-time Champion Sire I Am Invincible has been confirmed as the first mating for reigning Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year Pride Of Jenni, who will head to the breeding barn this season following a phenomenal racing career.
Almanzor Colt Wins G2 Italian Derby
Wootton Bassett sired the winner of the Group I Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) on Sunday in Camille Pissarro and then overnight his champion Cambridge Stud based son Almanzor (Fr) produced the winner of the Group II Derby Italiano (2200m).
G3 Fred Best Showdown for Quality Colts – Rosemont vs Yulong
The rescheduled $300,000 Group III BRC Fred Best Classic (1350m) brings stakes racing to a Wednesday this week with a field of 17 to go around at Doomben and at the head of the market is a pair of quality colts.
Sires With Winners - Monday June 2
Here is the full list of 40 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Pencarrow Stud hits a hundred winners in stellar season
Pencarrow Stud has celebrated an outstanding achievement with a century of homebred winners for the season.
One to Watch – Echuca
Twin Hills Stud’s Peltzer had an impressive winner at Echuca on Tuesday for his breeder Olly Tait.
$1500 Weanling Becomes $525,000 Top Lot at MM National Yearling Finale
A colt by Harry Angel set a new benchmark in Australia for his sire and topped the final day of the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale when selling for $525,000 to conclude a hugely successful two weeks of sales.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday June 3
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.