Waihaha Falls Back in NZ

Media Release - Thursday October 24

Group Three performer Waihaha Falls has returned to the care of co-breeder and part-owner Guy Lowry and is set to make his New Zealand debut for the Hawke’s Bay trainer at Trentham on Sunday.

Waihaha Falls has gone back to his homeland of New Zealand - image Steve Hart

Lowry bred the now seven-year-old gelding in partnership with Waikato Stud, and the gelding showed a lot of early promise, winning a 1000m trial at Foxton, which persuaded the partnership to send the son of Sacred Falls over to Sydney to race for trainer John O’Shea.

He was a consistent performer across the Tasman, winning five and placing in five of his 22 starts, and earned more than A$550,000 in prizemoney, with his highlights including a runner-up performance in last year’s Gr.3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m), and placing in two editions of the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m).

He last raced at Newcastle in April, and the decision was made to bring him back to New Zealand to see out his racing career.

“He did very well in Australia,” Lowry said. “We just chased a bit of prizemoney over there and he was probably unlucky not to win the Sydney Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m), which is a $2 million race, which he ran fourth in and had no luck. He has always shown a lot.

“He had a few feet problems and that is one of the reasons why we brought him back, to get his feet right and we think they are in pretty good shape.

“He is at an age where he would start enjoying it back here more hopefully, and we just wanted to have some fun with him back here.”

Waihaha Falls placed in his resuming trial over 1000m at Foxton earlier this month, and Lowry, who trains in partnership with Leah Zydenbos, is looking forward to him making his New Zealand debut in the WRC Life Members 1000 on Sunday.

“1000m is probably too short for him, but it will be a nice warm-up for him if we decide to go down south for the Stewards (Listed, 1200m),” Lowry said.

While a stakes target is tempting, Lowry said his gelding would only make the trip to Riccarton if they were going to be met by suitable track conditions.

Advertisement

“We will just monitor him because he is very well. We would only go down if the tracks were damp,” he said.

However, if things were to go their way, Lowry hasn’t ruled out an elite-level target over summer.

“If he happened to go alright there, we may think of a Telegraph (Gr.1, 1200m), but at that time of year we are unlikely to get the tracks that we would like,” he said.

“We are just taking each day as it comes.”

The stable will also be represented at Trentham by Testwin in the David Butler Memorial 1600 and debutant Hollywood Drift in the Happy Hire 1400.

Zydenbos is particularly excited about the latter, who she owns in partnership with breeder Tony Rider of Milan Park.

“Hollywood Drift is a very nice three-year-old who will be competitive,” Lowry said. “It is a big ask going into a set weights and penalties, but the horse is going alright so we will just take it along quietly.

“He won a trial earlier this month, he has trained on, and he shows good promise.

“Leah part-owns the horse with Tony, who is really good at giving young people a go. It gives her a bit of an incentive.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
So You Think Filly Wins G2 Edward Manifold
Danny O’Brien believes he has the Group I VRC Oaks in his sights with So You Think filly Getta Good Feeling breaking her maiden in the best way possible with a last stride win in the Group II VRC Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Inglis and Yulong Confirm Magic Time for Everest Slot
Inglis will partner with worldwide racing and breeding powerhouse Yulong for the running of the 2025 The Everest, with the combination to be represented by Magic Time in the $20m contest.
Lindsay Park Love Their Per Incanto's
Ben, Will and JD Hayes know a thing or two about the juvenile progeny of Per Incanto (USA), and they unveiled another exciting son of the Little Avondale Stud stallion in Melbourne’s first two-year-old race of the season on Saturday.
Miraval Rose Impresses With G2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes Win
Already a Listed winner at 3 and 4, Grahame Begg’s Grunt mare Miraval Rose added her third black type victory to her record, winning the $300,000 Group 2 VRC Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1400m) in style at Flemington on Saturday.
Derby Options Alive For Godolphin’s Colt
Tony and Calvin McEvoy look to have a smart 3yo on their hands as Impending colt Options wins the Listed VRC Super Impose Stakes (1800m) at Flemington and could now be aimed towards the $2m Group 1 VRC Derby (2500m) on November 1.
$1million Stay Inside Colt Wins G3 Breeders Plate
Newgate Farm’s Golden Slipper winning sire Stay Inside got the perfect result with his first runner as $1million Magic Millions purchase Incognito scored a determined win in the Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday in the James Harron Bloodstock colours.
Sires With Winners - Friday October 3
Here is the full list of 61 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Lonhro Blueblood Colt Wins Listed Dulcify
At the start of August we ran a story about the 3YO’s that were entered for this year Cox Plate and aside from the usual suspects there were some ‘Cox Plate’ dreamers and one of them was unraced Lonhro colt Attica, who scored his first stakes win at Randwick on Saturday when taking out the Listed ATC Dulcify Stakes (1600m).
Too Darn Hot’s Shiki Wins G3 Gimcrack Stakes
Winning her heat in good time at the official 2yo trials saw the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Too Darn Hot filly Shiki jump away the race favourite in Saturday’s $250,000 Group 3 Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes (1000m), a race she duly won with a fighting performance.
Apocalyptic Crowned Darley Princess with G1 Flight Victory
Extreme Choice filly Apocalyptic has been the dominant force in the Darley Princess Series this year and she claimed the jewel in the crown at Randwick on Saturday with a commanding win in the $750,000 Group I ATC Flight Stakes (1600m).