The good times keep on rolling for connections of winning machine Here To Shock(NZ) (Shocking) who plundered the inaugural A$1 million Supernova at Pakenham over his favoured 1400m distance for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes.
The seven-year-old son of Shocking bounced back to winning form after a rare down the field effort when tenth in the A$3 million Big Dance (1600m), where he pulled up with a heart arrhythmia.
A subsequent pleasing trial gave the Hayes team the tick of approval they were seeking and a perfect Daniel Stackhouse ride paved the way for Here To Shock to narrowly defy stablemate Arkansaw Kid in the lucrative slot race.
The ever-improving Here To Shock has now won 12 races, eight over his preferred 1400m as his career earnings soared to A$2,418,580.
“Here To Shock, he’s an old marvel – we were confident we could get him back after the Big Dance,” a delighted Will Hayes said.
“We had our eye on this race from a long way out, that’s why he was in our slot today.
“Getting back to those paddocks in Euroa, he loves the country environment. He had the earmuffs on today to keep him relaxed, and keeping him relaxed has been key to him going through the grades.
“Arkansaw Kid ran huge, big thanks to Cavallo Park Stud for letting us put him in that slot… they both ran super.”
The win also splits $10,000 between the community groups represented by each placegetter, with the winner tied into to the Pearcedale Baxter Junior Football Club.
“Winning is already great enough, and having a community edge to it just makes it better,” said Hayes, an accomplished former AFL player.
Daniel Stackhouse notched a treble at Pakenham on Saturday and said the improvement in Here To Shock’s demeanour has been the key to the gelding’s success.
“I rode him two and a half years ago, and he was just a young kid, just out of control really,” Stackhouse said.
“He’d sweat up, he’d pull, he just did so much wrong but he always had a lot of ability.
“It has been a great job by the stable.”
Stackhouse gave a nod to syndicator Rob Slade, who has been a good supporter of the expat Kiwi hoop.
“I’d just like to thank Rob Slade as well, he’s been solid to me, so it’s nice to reward him,” he said.
Slade went to $70,000 to purchase the then colt by proven Rich Hill Stud stallion Shocking out of the Lonhro mare Frescoes from the 2019 Cambridge Stud yearling draft at the Book 1 Sale at Karaka. – NZ Racing Desk
