Ocean Park Mare Wins G3 South Island Breeders

Media Release - Saturday March 21

Underrated mare Out Of The Park upset the applecart when she produced a dogged late run to take out Saturday’s Group III Valachi Downs South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) in a blanket finish at Riccarton.

Out of the Park - Race ImagesHandled confidently by Krishna Mudhoo, Out Of The Park burst to the lead over the concluding stages and held out the fast-finishing pair of Monza Circuito and Beneficial to cap a remarkable run of form since transferring to the Woodlands stable of Robert Dennis in December.

The Ocean Park five-year-old commenced her racing career from Tony Pike’s Cambridge stable where she failed to put a win on the board but collected a cheque from 12 of 19 starts before being offered for sale as a racing prospect on online auction gavelhouse.com.

Current owners Mike Rennie and Jack Stewart outlaid just $14,000 to purchase the mare and sent her south to their good mate Dennis.

Both Rennie and Stewart are emerging young leaders in the thoroughbred industry, working for Waikato Stud and White Robe Lodge respectively.

“I’m good friends with Jack and he had seen her on Gavelhouse and asked me about her,” Rennie said.

“She had always shown ability with placings in 10 of 19 starts, so when I happened to see her at Brendon McCullum’s place down the road and saw she was a ripper, I was keen to be part of it.

“Robert (Dennis) has done a great job with her. He’s changed things up and fiddled with a few things and she has really turned the corner.”

Rennie said former owner McCullum was always one of the first to congratulate him via text.

A first-up second placing at Riverton was followed by a win over 1600m at Wingatui for her new connections before she scored her second success two runs later over 2000m at Gore. Stepped up to rating 82 company the mare scored handsomely over 2200m back at Wingatui, prompting connections to aim her for the Listed Riverton Cup (2147m) next month.

That was until the current scenario involving the Covid-19 pandemic turned racing upside down, causing Dennis, Rennie and Stewart to have a rethink about their plans.

“When she won at Wingatui last time we all decided that we would set her for Riverton and the Cup there as she was going so well,” Dennis said.

Advertisement

“When this Covid-19 situation started to get pretty serious we thought it might be better to try for something a little sooner so we had a look around and settled on this race.

“I’m pretty glad that we did.”

The victory provided a milestone for both Dennis — who is in his fourth season of training on his own accord after initially starting off in partnership with his father Tony and uncles Ray, Martin and Joe — and Mudhoo as it was the pair’s first success at stakes level.

“I was pretty confident she had held on although it was desperately close,” Dennis said.

“Because it was such a big race, I didn’t want to go the early crow but when I heard Matt Cross (commentator) say she had won, I nearly passed out.

“It is my first black-type win and the same for Krishna, so it is a pretty good feeling to have achieved it.

“She is a mare that has had a few quirks and problems but she is in a small operation now where she gets to do her own thing and go out into a big paddock each day and I think that really suits her.

“My trackwork rider Alex has done an amazing job with her so he deserves a lot of the credit as she is not easy at times.”

Dennis has no concrete plans for his charge although the Riverton Cup could still be a preferred option once he has spoken with Stewart and Rennie and taken time out to celebrate a career milestone. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes Gr3 1600m

Riccarton Park Track: Good(3) Time: 1:35.77
1
Out Of The Park
- 5m Ocean Park (NZ) x Under And Over (NZ) (Danasinga (AUS))
Tnr: R C Dennis Rdr: K Mudhoo 57
2
0.1
Monza Circuito
- 5m Showcasing (GB) x Monzahra (NZ) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: M P McCann Rdr: Rohan Mudhoo 57
3
0.2
Beneficial
- 5m Highly Recommended (AUS) x La Generose (NZ) (Generous (IRE))
Tnr: L R Beckett Rdr: J D Laking 57
4
1.0
Skaaboom
- 5m Iffraaj (GB) x Skaapa (NZ) (Kaapstad (NZ))
Tnr: J C Blackadder Rdr: T R Moseley 57
5
1.2
Ticket To Ride
- 7m Shocking (AUS) x Classy Bawn (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Carston Rdr: Ms K Williams 58
6
1.4
Excelleration
- 5m Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Abeautifulred (NZ) (Handsome Ransom (AUS))
Tnr: Peter Didham Rdr: J R Lowry 57.5
7
1.8
Quintuple Twins
- 4m Sebring (AUS) x Coogee Coozifa (AUS) (Danzero (AUS))
Tnr: J & K Parsons Rdr: C W Johnson 57
8
2.0
Belle Fascino
- 6m Per Incanto (USA) x Playing For Keeps (NZ) (Keeper (AUS))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: S L Wynne 57
9
2.5
Monrecour
- 6m Zacinto (GB) x Udiditagain (NZ) (D'Cash (AUS))
Tnr: Steve Tyler Rdr: K Asano 57
10
2.6
Zabay
- 6m Stravinsky (USA) x Obey (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: B & S Anderton Rdr: C A Campbell 57
11
3.8
The Precious One
- 5m Darci Brahma (NZ) x The Jewel (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Claire Anderton Rdr: B M Murray 57.5
12
4.6
Xcuses Xcuses
- 8m No Excuse Needed (GB) x Xpectacular (NZ) (Shinko King (IRE))
Tnr: J C Blackadder Rdr: A Comignaghi 57
13
5.1
Upscale
- 4m Tavistock (NZ) x Precious (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: Danny Crozier Rdr: C R Barnes 57
More Reading...
Surprise Bart Cummings Victory Secures Valiant King Melbourne Cup Run
It’s not often you see a runner from the Chris Waller stable go around at 50/1 odds, but 6yo gelding Valiant King (GB) produced an outstanding effort to win Saturday’s $350,000 Group 3 VRC Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington, securing himself a run in this year’s $10m Gr1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Aga Khan Homebred 3YO Colt - 2025 Arc de Triomphe Winner
The Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) was run overnight at Longchamp and one of the world’s great races produced a thriller with blueblood €1.85 millionsale-topping Frankel filly Minnie Hauk going down by a head to the Aga Khan homebred Seat the Stars colt Daryz.
McGaw Firms For Coolmore Stud Stakes After G2 Danehill Win
Considered an outside chance in betting markets, Emma-Lee and David Browne’s I Am Immortal gelding McGaw dented the reputation of a few leading Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes contenders with a fighting win in the $300,000 Gr2 VRC Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!
Media World Adds to Millionaire Yearling Stakes Success
Stakes racing on Saturday produced a number of stakes-winners purchased for seven figures as yearlings in Australia with $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow leading the way in the Group I ATC Epsom after earlier success for $1million 2YO Incognito, while at Flemington $1.4million entire Media World took out the Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 4
Here is the full list of 119 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Mogumber Park hoists wet sail with Marine One
This time last year, the first foals by Mogumber Park stallion Marine One were widely regarded as some of the best types on the ground in Western Australia.
Captivant Colt Shines at Warwick Farm Trials
Captivant’s burgeoning reputation for producing precocious 2YOs took another leap forward at today’s Warwick Farm trials, with Courthezon powering to victory in Heat 10.
Aussie Bred Asfoora Wins Third G1 on Arc Day in France
Victorians breeders celebrated overnight with Aussie bred and owned Flying Artie mare Asfoora returning to her dazzling best on one of the world’s biggest stages to win the Group I Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1000m) with a scintillating performance on Arc Day in France.