A Perfect Sense of Timing

One of the most impressive winners on Dunstan Day Out at Te Rapa, Sense of Timing (4 m Time Test – Pin Up Lae, by Pins) left her rivals cold in the $35,000 Champion Freight Rating 65 1500 metres on Saturday.

Runner-up in two of last three starts, most recently with a very good effort in testing conditions for the Rating 65 1400 metres on 10 May at Rotorua, where she had previously won, Sense Of Timing was having her first start at Te Rapa, and took to the course like a duck to water.

Although notching just her second win, Sense Of Timing had produced good trial form before racing, proved competitive from the outset to win her third start and since then placed in the Dunedin Guineas (Listed, 1500m), NZB Airfreight Stakes (Listed, 1400m), and New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (Listed, 2000m). 

Ridden by Te Akau stable apprentice Hayley Hassman (a4), who combined last time, Sense Of Timing settled beyond midfield, was in the three-wide line and eight lengths astern at the 600m, angled clear on straightening and burst clear at the 200m to win by three and a half lengths.

“She travelled like the winner a long way out and I thought ‘woo girl’, but I let her go around the corner and she put them bed,” said, Hassman, who claimed to 55.5kg. “It was amazing.

“She was really game on heavy ground at Rotorua, which was probably a bit worse than she likes, but the team have kept her so fit and well that she was ready for today.”

On footing that raced very well, while remaining Soft6, Sense Of Timing ran 1500 metres in 1:31.7, last 600m in 35.9, and drifted markedly in betting to pay $7.50 & $2.70 on the NZ TAB tote.

“The owners have been very patient and she’s won impressively today,” said Mark Walker, who trains with Sam Bergerson. 

“The way she won should give her plenty of confidence going forward, especially beating a good field like that, and Hayley is riding very well and obviously her four-kilo claim is so valuable at this time of year.

“Since winning her Maiden she’s been multiple stakes' placed, and if we can get her rating up higher the aim would be to try and get a black type win.”

The win was a timely present for part-owner Denise Alexander, on course from New Plymouth, who celebrated her birthday a day earlier. 

Alexander was also there for her first win, and revealed at the time how she came to buy a share: “I get the sales' catalogues and was watching TV and when she walked into the sales ring I thought I really like her. My partner John saw Laelia on the page and said she was a really good filly for Bart Cummings.”

Owned by the Te Akau Perfect Timing Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Sense Of Timing was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $100,000 at the 2022 Karaka Book 2 Sale, from the draft of Little Avondale Stud. 

“What a truly great day's racing and what a way to finish, with Sense Of Timing winning like a really good mare in the making,” Ellis said.

“Dunstan Day has been run so well by the owner of Dunstan Feeds Dave Smith. He’s a great friend and since 1984 the only feed Te Akau has used for our horses is Dunstan. 

“Dave and his team put so much back into racing. He was President of the Waikato Racing Club for more than a decade and also won the Outstanding Contribution to Racing at the NZTR Horse of Year awards. 

“Congratulations to Te Rapa track manager Bart Cowan and his team for putting on such a good surface to race on. We’re nearly into June and the track is a credit to the whole team at Waikato Thoroughbred Racing. 

“I’m thrilled for the owners, especially Shanti Brown who is personal assistant at Te Akau to Karyn and me, and this is her first horse. She does so much to help with organising and planning not just our diaries, but also events, and she makes our busy lives so much more manageable.

“To the senior team here, Reece (Trumper), our assistant trainer, and Mikey (Grey), our new racing manager, congratulations to you and the whole team for presenting this mare looking immaculate and I’m very proud to see her win like that.

“And Hayley (Hassman), she is putting in the hard yards, rode yesterday at Wingatui in the South Island. She’s a young lady with a very bright future, and it was great ride on Sense Of Timing.”

By young sire Time Test (Dubawi), which stands at LA Stud, Sense Of Timing is from a mare by outstanding all-round sire Pins (Snippets).

Twice, Pins was NZ leading sire for global progeny earnings and does tremendously as a broodmare sire.

Pin Up Lae has left five individual winners, while grand-dam, good staying mare and producer, Laebeel (Zabeel) was a Listed winner and Group One and Two placed. 

Further back in the pedigree, fourth dam Laelia (Oncidium – Froth), was trained by Bart Cummings and won the Adelaide Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m). 

Sense Of Timing was strapped by Ajay Kuchekar. 

Photo credit - Kenton Wright - www.raceimages.co.nz