Cork Wins Tauranga Classic

Media Release - Saturday June 21

After hard-luck stories in the Listed Team Wealleans Tauranga Classic (1400m) in both of the last two winters, Cork made amends in style on Saturday with a $22 upset in the fillies and mares’ feature.

Cork had already proven herself as a Tauranga specialist, winning three of her five previous starts at the track including a seven-length Rating 75 romp on the Tauranga Classic undercard in 2022. But the Bay Of Plenty’s midwinter black-type feature had proved frustratingly elusive.

Cork claims a valuable black-type victory in the Tauranga Classic. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

The 2023 edition was abandoned and rescheduled for Hawke’s Bay in early July, and Cork was unsuited by the change of venue and battled home in seventh behind Flower Of Wanaka. Her tilt at last year’s Tauranga Classic was over almost before it began – getting a long way back after a slow start and making a late run into eighth behind Casino Princess.

Saturday, finally, was Cork’s day. The seven-year-old collected the first black-type win of her 27-start, six-win career.

The Tauranga Classic was the first raceday appearance in 251 days for Cork, whose last start was in the Staphanos Classic (1950m) at Rotorua on October 13. But she had shown promising signs in a trial placing at Waipa in late May, and trainer Pam Gerard took a quiet confidence into the $80,000 feature.

“She’s a great little mare,” Gerard said. “She’s been all over the country and just keeps giving us a thrill every time. We know that she’s very hard to beat when she’s fresh up over 1400m at Tauranga. We were obviously up against some good mares today, but she’s been unlucky in this race a couple of times before.

“I’m really stoked for the owners. We’ve been trying to get that black type for so long, and finally we’ve got it today.

“Her work had been super leading into this. We’re lucky we got a very heavy track today, which she absolutely loves.

“It’s always hard taking on seasoned horses fresh up in these testing conditions, but I know what she can do and I was pretty confident she could be in the first three anyway.”

Cork was ridden by Samantha Collett, who has hit stakes-winning form barely a week after returning from an extended stint in Queensland.

Collett took up a midfield position in fifth behind Electric Time, Midnight Scandal, Tristar and Lux Libertas. Cork was well within striking distance all the way, although Collett appeared to be urging the mare along as the field made their way past the golf course down the southern side of the Tauranga track.

Electric Time quickly faded out of contention at the home turn and the race changed complexion. Lux Libertas burst through along the inside to take command, with Midnight Scandal and Tristar running on down the middle of the track.

Advertisement

Collett angled Cork to the outside, got her balanced up and asked her to quicken. This time Cork had plenty to offer. She charged home out wide on the track and soon swept past Midnight Scandal and Tristar.

It developed into a two-horse battle on opposite sides of the track, and Cork outfinished Lux Libertas to score by half a length. Lux Libertas crossed the line two and three-quarter lengths in front of the third-placed Midnight Scandal.

“It’s fantastic,” said Collett, who also won the last race on the card aboard Kai Moana. “It’s a pretty heavy track, so it really tested my post-Queensland fitness!

“This mare’s work had been very good during the week and she toughed it out so well today.

“Pam and her team have done a super job. She presented in great order.

“I had to work on her a long way out, but I was able to find the fast strip in the straight and she was the toughest one there. She really gave me everything she had.”

Gerard is now keen to take Cork to Christchurch for a third shot at the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton on August 2. Cork was runner-up to Belardo Boy in the 2023 edition of that time-honoured feature, followed by an eighth behind Jay Bee Gee last August.

“That’s where we’ll head again, probably with one more run in the north in between times,” the Matamata trainer said.

Cork was bred by Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax and was offered by Blandford Lodge in Book 2 of Karaka 2019, where Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Ballymore Stables NZ bought her for $30,000. She has now had 27 starts for six wins, five placings and $188,068 in stakes for owners Dame Sian Elias, Natalie Walker, Ned Fletcher and Hugh Fletcher.

Cork is by former Mapperley Stud stallion Complacent, who is the sire of 52 winners from 89 runners including Group Three winners Jay Bee Gee and Hi Yo Sass Bomb. Cork is the Authorized stallion’s third stakes winner. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.

Advertisment

Race Result - Team Wealleans Tauranga Classic LR 1400m

Tauranga Track: Heavy(10) Time: 1:30.52
1
Cork
- 7m Complacent (AUS) x Little Bit Irish (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Ms P Gerard Rdr: S T Collett 57
2
0.5
Lux Libertas
- 4m Almanzor (FR) x Miss Fi (NZ) (Makfi (GB))
Tnr: L O'sullivan & A Scott Rdr: B Queiroz 57
3
3.3
Midnight Scandal
- 5m Belardo (IRE) x Midnight Gossip (NZ) (Showcasing (GB))
Tnr: S & K Alexander Rdr: K A Myers 57
4
4.6
Tristar
- 3f Exceedance (AUS) x World Away (AUS) (Pierro (AUS))
Tnr: L O'sullivan & A Scott Rdr: T C Moodley 55.5
5
4.8
Chantilly Lace
- 4m U S Navy Flag (USA) x On The Move (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: C A Bambry Rdr: C Dell 57
6
5.2
Nancy She Wrote
- 5m Wrote (IRE) x Miz Sinatra (NZ) (Duelled (AUS))
Tnr: Ben & Ryan Foote Rdr: C R Barnes 57
7
5.7
Electric Time
- 6m Telperion (AUS) x The Migrator (NZ) (Duelled (AUS))
Tnr: L Te Keeti Rdr: E H Nicholas 57
8
7.4
Grande Gallo
- 4m Belardo (IRE) x Medrano (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: L O'sullivan & A Scott Rdr: V A Colgan 57
9
27.7
Rareza
- 4m Exosphere (AUS) x La Valeta (NZ) (Falkirk (NZ))
Tnr: C W Cole Rdr: M J Mc Nab 57
More Reading...
Winning Hat-Trick for Progressive Pierro
Richard and Will Freedman probably have more talented horses in the stable than Pierro gelding Cold Brew, but few have the consistency of this four year-old who landed a winning hat-trick at Rosehill on Saturday.
King of Roseau Wins G3 Aurie’s Star
Placed in the Listed VRC Poseidon Stakes at Flemington last spring as a three year-old behind Growing Empire, Capitalist gelding King of Roseau returned to the same venue on Saturday to capture the Group III VRC Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
The Novelist Returns to Form
The very first stakes-winner for his sire Written By when winning the Group III BRC BJ McLachlan Stakes in December 2022, The Novelist made light of the heavy 10 track at Rosehill on Saturday to claim another victory.
Dual Group Winner Too Darn Good At Flemington
A dual group winner during the Spring of her 3yo season, talented mare Too Darn Discreet showed an electric turn of foot, charging home over the top of them to win the Melbourne Cup Carnival On Sale (1620m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Kosciuszko calling Rosehill winner Elson Boy
Dubbo-trained Elson Boy was back in the winner’s circle after a 412-day absence when leading throughout to land the Jockeys Celebration Day Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill in the hands of apprentice William Stanley.
Unique Filly a History Maker for Godolphin and Waller
The re-distribution of the Godolphin owned Australian racehorses has been a hot topic in recent weeks as they departed the care of James Cummings to join a wide spread of different trainers and one of those was Chris Waller, whose first runner for the blue army was a winner at Rosehill on Saturday.
Crossbow Takes Aim At Flemington To Score
With quality efforts behind handy horses in his first three starts, trainer Chris Waller crossed the border to Victoria with instant success for the Star Thoroughbreds raced Crossbow, with the well-marked son of Better Than Ready breaking through for an impressive win.
Sliding Doors Moment Delivers Feel Good Winner at Rosehill
Two fillies were born at Yulong in 2021 sired by Alabama Express from imported North American daughters of Street Cry, one of them is triple Group I winner Treasurethe Moment and the other is the feel good winner of the day at Rosehill on Saturday.
Kiwi Bred Keeps Winners Coming for Payne Stable
The Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained Bold Soul has been a consistent performer right through the winter months and notched another win at Flemington when prevailing in the VRC Membership Renewals Open (2530m) on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 2
Here is the full list of 101 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.