Trainer Sophie Price put aside her regular Clerk of the Course duties at Invercargill on Saturday to watch her promising three-year-old filly Hello Hayley take out the Listed ILT Ascot Park Hotel Southland Guineas (1400m) at Ascot Park on Saturday.
Price, who prepares a small team from her Winton stable, has had the daughter of Hello Youmzain in her team since late last year after she had one run for Karaka-based trainer Lance Noble.
Successful second up at Ascot Park, Hello Hayley then finished sixth in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui before producing another game effort for fourth behind race-rival Luna Capella over 1200m a month ago.
Rider Donovan Cooper was prepared to play a waiting game with Hello Hayley as he allowed her to find her feet in the early rush and was still last of the 14 runners with a little under 600m to run.
Cooper and Hello Hayley stuck hard up against the running rail turning for home and when the gaps opened up she barged through and quickly sprinted clear to defeat her last-start nemesis, Luna Capella by a neat length at the line.
Price had a smile a mile wide as she described the juggling act she goes through when she has runners in on a raceday that she is officiating at, especially as she was returning from a painful leg injury.
“That was very impressive, even though I did think she was a little underdone,” Price said. “She’s a good wee girl.
“I thought we might have won the Gore Guineas and maybe this field might have been a bit too tough for her.
“Blinkers on and she has got the job done and they have definitely improved her.
“I watched the race from the corner (home bend) as it can be pretty tough and especially today as it is my first day back after rupturing my calf muscle.
“The other clerk, Sarah Beck, has been riding her for me so she has done a good job with her.
“It’s just wonderful to win as this is for a great group of owners who will be having a lot of fun.”
Cooper was also full of praise for the effort of his mount.
“It was absolutely massive (the victory) as I thought I would take her back today because I knew there might be a little bit of carnage early on,” he said.
“We got to bide our time before I asked the question at the 600m, where I actually dropped my stick (whip), but boy was she tough and what acceleration she has got.
“I definitely think the blinkers on played a big part as she was a lot more focussed and she is pretty exciting.”
Bred by Cambridge Stud principals Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay, Hello Hayley is out of the Thorn Park mare Hayley Grace and is closely related to multiple Group One winner Te Akau Shark.
She has now won two of her six starts and just under $100,000 in prize money. - LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
