Hinekaha All Class in Oaks Prelude

Breednet - Saturday February 1

Highly touted three-year-old Hinekaha justified some heavy support from punters as she showed her enormous promise in the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth on Saturday.

Hinekaha scores a stylish black-type win in the Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude. Photo: Megan Liefting (Race Images)

The Andrew Forsman-prepared filly has been identified as a stayer of real potential by a number of pundits and is the $5 Fixed Odds second favourite for the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) on 8 March behind Willydoit ($2). She also fills the same position in the Fixed Odds market for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham at a $4 quote behind current favourite Leica Lucy ($3.20).

With Willydoit reinforcing his Derby credentials with a three-length romp in Rating 75 company over 1600m less than ten minutes before Hinekaha stepped out, the daughter of Savabeel lost nothing in comparison as she came out of the trail to hunt down pacemaker Eye Candy in the home straight for a comfortable victory by half a length in the hands of Craig Grylls.

Grylls admitted he had a few concerns before securing his home straight passage on the filly.

“They didn’t go real hard as I thought they would, but that might have been the lack of numbers in the field,” Grylls said.

“It had me sweating on a run for a while but I could see when we straightened up that the horse outside the leader was starting drop off so I just had to wait for that to happen. When I angled one-off, she did it pretty easily after that.

“She has a lot of class and it is very exciting to be on a filly of this quality. She has the best attitude and when we were coming back I couldn’t even get her to trot. She was just walking along and taking it all in.

Advertisement

“She just has that lovely, relaxed demeanour about her.”

While entered for both three-year-old blue riband staying events, trainer Andrew Forsman indicated during the week that his preference is for his charge to contest the New Zealand Derby.

Bred by co-owner Christoper Grace, Hinekaha is the first foal out of the Listed Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m) winner Hinerangi.

She becomes the 146th individual stakes winner for her illustrious sire Savabeel. The champion stallion was to the fore again at the 2025 National Yearling Sale at Karaka, where 35 of his 42 Book 1 yearlings sold at an average of $287,143, including the sale-topping sister of multiple Group One winner Orchestral that was knocked down to the $2.4 million bid of bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster and trainer Chris Waller.

By Kevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude LR 1800m

New Plymouth Raceway Track: Good(4) Time: 1:50.63
1
Hinekaha
- 3f Savabeel (AUS) x Hinerangi (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: C J Grylls 56.5
2
0.5
Eye Candy
- 3f Darci Brahma (NZ) x Myback (NZ) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: S Ritchie & C Murray Rdr: L Sutherland 56.5
3
2.3
This Time Girl
- 3f Contributer (IRE) x Le Cailloux (NZ) (Cape Blanco (IRE))
Tnr: Hollie Wynyard Rdr: R T Elliot 56.5
4
2.4
Renovations
- 3f Ardrossan (AUS) x Dee I Why (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: C W Cole Rdr: Harry Grace 56.5
5
2.5
Skymax
- 3f Ferrando (NZ) x En Garde (NZ) (Duelled (AUS))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: B D Rogerson 56.5
6
3.8
Wounder
- 3f Contributer (IRE) x Hirtshals (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: L O'sullivan & A Scott Rdr: Marc R Lerner 56.5
7
4.6
Piccolino
- 3f Proisir (AUS) x Efrosini (AUS) (Royal Academy (USA))
Tnr: F J Auret Rdr: K R Hercock 56.5
8
8.6
Marvie
- 3f Wyndspelle (NZ) x Braidwood (NZ) (Faltaat (USA))
Tnr: T R Hina Rdr: M K Hudson 56.5
More Reading...
Was it that Unusual? Who is the Oldest?
There was a lot of attention in the media regarding the age of Australian Horse of the Year elect Via Sistina (IRE) when she returned to racing for a new campaign at Randwick last Saturday, but was it really that uncommon to see an eight year-old G1 winner?
Spring Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
There was an interesting set of trials at Hawkesbury on Monday that featured heat winners including Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker as well as the Waterhouse Bott stable Cups contenders Sir Delius (GB) and Vauban (FR), plus we may have seen an Everest horse.
Narrow Miss for Hellbent Gelding in G2 Foxbridge
Lhasa proved he is more than a synthetic track specialist when he nearly caused an upset when finishing runner-up in Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Commemorative Retired to Stud
Watching the progress of Godolphin horses as they start stepping our for their new trainers has been interesting to say the least and will get more so this weekend when we see Tom Kitten go around in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, but one horse we won’t be seeing again is Commemorative.
Well Bred Zousain Debut Winner
A full sister to Zousain’s Group III winning filly Drifting, Cheeky Contiki made a winning debut at Pakenham on Monday for the Lindsay Park Racing team.
Sires With Winners - Sunday August 24
Here is the full list of 67 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Monday August 25
Here is the full list of 12 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Top Filly Beats Top Colt in G1 Prix Morny
The Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville overnight produced a mightly clash between unbeaten Starspangled banner colt Gstaad and unbeaten filly Venetian Sun with the filly prevailing, although Starspangledbanner got some consolation with a new G3 winning 2YO at Goodwood.
First Southern Hemisphere foals for Paddington
A four-time Group I winner by champion French sire Siyouni, European superstar, PADDINGTON, has had his first Southern Hemisphere foals arrive on the ground at Windsor Park.
Merchant Navy 3YO Primed for Spring Stakes Campaign
Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season.