Weatherley Pair Evenly Matched in Cup Contest

Breednet - Tuesday January 14

Darryn Weatherley is unable to split his talented stayers Ess Vee Are and Arby ahead of Saturday’s Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation And Sport Wellington Cup (3200m), and with the same ownership group in both horses, he would be happy to see either take the Trentham feature.

Ess Vee Are will contest Saturday’s Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation And Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

The stablemates are half-brothers and strikingly similar, as big staying types with plenty to respect about their records.

A seven-year-old by Shocking, Ess Vee Are won the Listed New Zealand St Leger (2600m) nearly two years ago at the Upper Hutt course, and this term has found little luck since winning at Te Rapa in October. In the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m), the gelding was severely hampered when Arby jumped the crossing and dislodged his rider, then in the Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m), he struggled to find room for much of the final straight.

Weatherley, who trains in partnership with his daughter Briar, was happy to look past his most recent effort at Taupo, finishing 10th behind Doddle.

“His run in the Waikato Cup was super, then he went to Taupo and we were expecting a bit more than what we got,” he said. “But he had a couple of excuses that we’ve taken from that, he was off-colour and his blood wasn’t quite 100 percent, he also went down on his front bumpers on a track that was never going to suit him.

“That was enough for us to suggest he’s worth a shot at Wellington, his work since has been super and he’s won the St Leger down there.”

Meanwhile, his younger sibling Arby bounced back from the Counties incident with a game second placing in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) on New Year’s Day, where he had the race won everywhere but the line, where he was caught by Son Of Sun.

“It was a great run and he didn’t have all favours really, it was a hard watch going out of the straight,” Weatherley said. “I thought it was a very good ride by Jasmine (Fawcett) because she was going to be caught wide, she elected to go forward when the pace came out of the race and that was almost the winning of it.

“He tried very hard and he deserves his spot in the field on Saturday, I’m really looking forward to stepping him over two miles.”

The pair currently lie at $12 (Ess Vee Are) and $14 (Arby) in the TAB Futures market for the Cup and Weatherley hopes a dry surface will allow them both a shot at the major spoils.

Advertisement

“Both these boys, they’re half-brothers and are just out-and-out stayers,” he said. “At the two miles, I think they will eat up the ground, but I’m hoping that will be on good footing. The weather is looking okay, so if we can get between that 4-6 range, it’ll be right up their alley.

“I can’t separate them, on Arby’s run at Ellerslie and Ess Vee Are’s history at Wellington. It’s a hard race to win, but it would certainly be a thrill if one of them could put their hand up.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

A long-standing association with owners RBC Racing would make a title all the more special for Weatherley.

“The owners were my first clients, they are family friends of ours and own the mare (Reiveke),” he said. “They bred both of these horses, Ess Vee Are by Shocking and then Proisir for the other boy. We are very fortunate to have them on board.

“The first horse we ever trained, aside from our own horse who is the mother of Pier and Maria Farina (La Vitesse), was called Soda, who was owned by these people.

“We’ve got two out of the mare both by Vadamos, one is a three-year-old who finished second at his first trial, and the other is a two-year-old filly, she’s had a couple of jump-outs and is just coming back into work.

“She’s showing the family promise as well.”

LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 1
Here is the full list of 51 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Winx to Visit Too Darn Hot
World champion racehorse Winx is set for a new chapter in her stud career this spring with an announcement from her ownership group of Peter Tighe, Debbie Kepitis and Elizabeth Treweeke that Too Darn Hot (GB) is the chosen one.
$850,000 Extreme Choice Colt Equals MM National Yearling Record
A stunning colt by Extreme Choice equalled the all time record price at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast today when he sold for $850,000.
Brave Blood
With the Group I Queensland Oaks and Derby to both be run at Eagler Farm this Saturday, after appalling weather forced racing to be abandoned last week, there is no chance this year of one horse winning both, but a filly that achieved the feat in 1988 is playing a key role in this year’s carnival.
Spring Goals for Progressive Per Incanto
Spring stakes assignments are in the crosshairs for exciting gelding Twain following his victory in the Waihou Tavern (1150m) at Te Aroha on Monday.
Inglis Internship applications open
An opportunity to work with Australia’s most progressive thoroughbred auction house has become available through the renowned Inglis Internship program.
Williams honoured with Damehood
Two thoroughbred industry stalwarts have been bestowed one of New Zealand’s highest honours in the King’s Birthday honour list, including Catriona Williams, who has been appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to spinal cord injury research and equestrian sport.
Shocking Stayer Ess Vee Are Wins NZ St Leger
RBC Racing’s blue, gold and black colours were carried to Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) glory by Miss Mossman in 2014, and on Saturday they struck black-type gold again at the same Trentham meeting – this time with up-and-coming stayer Ess Vee Are in the Listed Barneswood Farm New Zealand St Leger (2600m).
Pony Racing Series Finals This Saturday
The excitement is building as the 2025 National Pony Racing Series Finals prepare to take centre stage at the Gold Coast Turf Club on Saturday, 7 June, showcasing the nation's most promising young riders and their ponies.
Brendan Lindsay honoured - Knights of the Cambridge Stud roundtable
The Cambridge Stud legacy continues to grow, with current co-principal Brendan Lindsay appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King's Birthday Honours for his services to business and philanthropy.