Cox Plate Winning Trainer Seeking More International Glory

Media Release - Wednesday May 23

Matamata trainer Gary Hennessy will be looking to add further international success to his CV when he lines up last-start Group Two winner Ocean Emperor in the S$1,5 million Invitational Kranji Mile (1600m) in Singapore on Saturday.

Ocean EmperorHennessy campaigned Waikato Stud resident stallion and multiple Group One winner Ocean Park in both Australia and Dubai five years ago and said his experience in Singapore to date has been comparable.

"It is very similar, it is like déjà vu really," Hennessy said. "Both horses are very similar in nature and both being colts of course.

"They have lovely facilities over here, a nice StrathAyr track and a polytrack too to work on.

"He's just been using the 1000m straight polytrack and there is an inside one as well which is about 1500m around."

Ocean Emperor arrived in Singapore last Thursday with Hennessy and track rider Tui Miles and has impressed his trainer with his progress.

"He travelled over well, we are really happy with him," Hennessy said. "He lost a little bit of weight on his trip over but pretty much put it all back on within 48 hours.

"We have just been ticking him over quietly and he had a little bit of a breeze on the polytrack this (Wednesday) morning. He is looking bright and we couldn't be happier."

Ocean Emperor will be one of three international acceptors in Saturday's race after the withdrawal of the English-trained Here He Comes through injury. The Zabeel six-year-old will be joined by Hong Kong raiders Southern Legend and Horse of Fortune.

"Caspar Fownes horse (Southern Legend) ran third in a Group One in his last start a month ago, so that would start the favourite I guess," Hennessy said. "We know Volkstok'n'barrell, but I don't know too much about the other horses."

The Kranji Mile has undertaken a makeover this year in preparation for next year's reintroduction of two international races to Singapore and Hennessy has welcomed the change, particularly as his connections look to a potential stallion career for their $450,000 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale purchase.

"It is a lovely race to have the opportunity to run in and if he was successful it would only help his CV and future stallion prospects," he said. "He is a very well-bred horse, by Zabeel out of Tootsie, and is a magnificent looking horse and he was an expensive yearling.

Advertisement

"(A stallion career) has always been in the back of our mind. He's a horse with a pedigree and he deserves an opportunity at stud at some date."

Hennessy said he will take it easy with his charge before Saturday and is not too concerned with where he draws in the feature.

"He'll just have a trot and canter, he is pretty much spot on. He's recovered really well and has been into his feed, so he's in a happy place and we couldn't do any more.

"The horse has got very good gate speed, so tends to put himself into the race. He's got that tactical speed that can normally help at the start no matter where he draws."

Ocean Emperor will be ridden by expat kiwi jockey Jason Collett, whose sister Alysha has recently commenced a six-month riding contract in Singapore.

"I wanted a jockey with international experience and who rides in the big races regularly," Hennessy said.

"Jason rides for Chris Waller and to me, he is in the same calibre as James McDonald except that he doesn't get the same ability of horses as James does.

"I also know his uncle Jimmy well as he used to ride for me. I actually know the whole Collett family and I hope Jason can bring me luck on Saturday."

Meanwhile, Ocean Emperor's spring targets remain uncertain with quarantine after Saturday's race ruling him out of the first leg of the Hawke's Bay Spring Carnival.

"He'll have to do three weeks here (in quarantine) and another two weeks in New Zealand," Hennessy said. "That probably means we won't be able to run him in the Tarzino Trophy.

"We'll just have to see and we'll maybe look at Australia, or if he did happen to win I am sure my partners would like to take him up to Hong Kong for the international in December." – NZ Racing Desk.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Cup Contender Headed to Australia
Melbourne Cup aspirant Trav secured his plane ticket across the Tasman with a pleasing performance over 2100m at Ellerslie on Saturday.
French G3 Winner for Zoustar
The Group III Prix des Chenes (1600m) at Chantilly in France overnight produced a new stakes-winner for reigning champion Australian sire Zoustar with talented two year-old Oceans Four claiming his first Black Type win.
Keeneland September Concludes with Record $531.5 Million in Sales
The 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale closed Saturday having achieved a defining industry milestone. Over 12 sessions, the sale rewrote records by selling 3,070 horses for a total of $531.5 million: the highest gross ever realized at a Thoroughbred auction worldwide. Historic highlights included 56 yearlings bringing seven figures, besting the previous record of 40 set in 2005 and led by a $3
Career Best Victory for Wentwood Grange Favourite Yearling
Dean Hawkins admits to shedding a tear or two when With Your Blessing was sold as a yearling.
Sires With Winners - Sunday September 21
Here is the full list of 66 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 22
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Tara Talks Racing - Trials and Racing
This week we’re talking trials after an insightful set of official 2YO trials in Sydney, plus some racing and how Fangirl will eventually go to stud with two Group I wins less on her resume than there should be.
Aussie Mare Youngstar Produces Rising Japanese Staying Star Eri King
Australian Group I winning half-sisters Youngstar and Funstar are both at stud in Japan and the former has a very smart three year-old colt in Eri King, who won the Group II Kobe Shimbun Hai (2400m) at Hanshin on Sunday.
One to Watch – Warrnambool
So You Think is the first sire to hit 40 winners for the season and he did it with a three year-old filly that won easily on debut at Warrnambool on Monday in the Kia Ora Stud colours.
Written Tycoon Filly Bursts into NZ 1000 Guineas Contention
The Gr.3 Sunline Vase (1400m) was expected to be the weekend’s key pointer for the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), but a spectacular performance on the Ellerslie undercard had its own impact on fixed-odds betting for the Christchurch classic.