Talented galloper Honey Badger provided her trainer Tony Pike with the perfect present on his return from a winter break in Fiji as she trounced her three-year-old rivals in the Aongatete Avo-Ject 3YO (1200m) at Tauranga on Saturday.
Sent out as a dominating $1.80 favourite, the daughter of El Roca began well and settled on the back of pacemaker Pleasing before rider Michael McNab eased her to that runner’s outside approaching the home bend.
After a brief tussle Honey Badger bounded clear and scored by nearly four lengths from the late-finishing debutant Beau Miller.
Pike was delighted with the effort and believes the filly has more ahead of her due to her liking for the wetter winter tracks.
“It was a good, positive ride today and she got track conditions to suit,” Pike said.
“She is holding her condition really well and she loves these tracks, so we will definitely give her another couple of runs. She looks like a mare for next season who could pick up a nice black-type race.”
McNab, who brought up an early double for the day after scoring aboard The Trendsetter in race one with a similar ride, echoed Pike’s sentiments.
“She jumped and put herself there (on the pace) while Pleasing was a touch slow and may have just overdone it to get to the lead.
“She (Honey Badger) got track conditions to her liking today. It is hard work out there, so happy to be on the board in the first two races.”
Bred by Westbury Stud principal Gerry Harvey, Honey Badger was purchased for $30,000 out of the Westbury draft at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale at Karaka.
Out of the More Than Ready mare Sacred Vow, she is a sister to the stakes-placed mare Miss Cartier and closely related to Group Two winner Swissta and Australian Group One placegetters The Cloisters and My Middi.
Honey Badger has now won three of her eleven starts and over $73,000 in prizemoney. - LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
