Photo: Race Images
Although it took some convincing, Reputation (5 m Iffraaj – Tenacity, by Zabeel) ended up in the right place to win the $80,000 Clubs NZ Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Listed, 1600m) on 6 February at Tauherenikau.
Freshened by trainer Pam Gerard after finishing sixth in the Cal Izusu Stakes (Gr. 2, 1600m) in December at Te Rapa, it required a couple of phone calls from owner/breeder Christopher Grace QSM before the wheels were set in motion.
“To convince Pam I had to phone her twice to say the racing is a wee bit easier down our way, bring the horse down, please, and fortunately she did,” Grace said.
“She’s on a roll, with a wedding tomorrow, and then back for Savaglee on Saturday (Te Rapa), but we’ve been lucky to get three black type races in a week.
“She’s been in the deep end. The two Group Two races she ran in, when she was just over the edge, and Pam backed off her, gave her a spell, and she’s come back to win.”
Ridden for the first time by leading apprentice Lily Sutherland (a), who sits second in the overall jockey premiership with 54 wins this season, Reputation worked forward from barrier eight to camp outside the leader, lengthened to lead nearing the home turn (400m) and put an unassailable break on her opponents.
Celebrating her 22 nd birthday, Sutherland said: “We thought she was going to lead, but sat outside the leader.
“There was a little bit more pressure than we thought. But once we got there she relaxed, got a nice run, and went away once we got to the rail before the turn and they couldn’t get to her.”
On footing upgraded to Good4 after race two, Reputation ran 1600 metres in 1:35.2, last 600m in 34.9 (approx.), scored by two and a half lengths, and paid $6.90 & $2.30 on the NZ TAB tote.
“The idea was always in our heads (to come here), but it’s a long way to come (from Matamata),” Gerard said.
“The track can get quite hard here, but I have to admit, hats off to the girl that has been doing it, putting the water on and that’s made a big difference.
“This horse really doesn’t like it too firm. That was my major concern, making the trip down and getting a really hard track, because we’ve still got some options later on in the season.
“When the noms came out and I saw the field, I thought of every excuse not to come, but I couldn’t, so we’re here and she’s done it.”
In the emerald green and gold colours of breeder/owner Christopher Grace QSM, Reputation is raced by Grace in partnership with I J & J F Cameron, D W Dalziell, A E Falloon, Mrs S Grace, J R & L D Griffith, G Jones, J E & S J McKenzie, and B C & T D White.
A fresh-up winner when resuming in perfect style over 1300 metres in November at Te Rapa, with Ballymore Stables apprentice Joe Nishizuka (a3) aboard, Reputation has won four of her 12 starts and the manner of her latest victory, accounting for some in form mares, suggests she has a bright future in stakes races.
Reputation is a half-sister to three-time winner Motivation (Mastercraftsman), out of impressive five-time winner and stakes placed Titanium (Kingdom Bay), who left four individual winners of 14 races, including Wellington Cup (Gr. 2, 3200m) winner Graphic (Volksraad).
Grace and his wife, Susanna, very successful farmers and horse breeders from Hunterville, have shared many special moments in horse racing, with a plentiful number of Group One winners, while also breeding and topping the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, last November, with an I’m Am Invincible – Shillelagh colt that sold for $1.65m.
Reputation was strapped by Loka Manu.