Get Hitched - Season Win No. 80

It was déjà vu when Get Hitched  (4 m Lonhro - Wedding, by Commands) boomed clear to win the $10,000 Rating 65 1215 metres by nearly four lengths on 28 December at Rotorua.

Get Hitched had been similarly dominant when winning her Maiden, in March at Matamata, and impressed again in the black and gold chequered colours of Brendan Lindsay (MNZM) & Jo Lindsay (Cambridge Stud).

“I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Brendan & Jo for the incredible support they give to Te Akau Racing,” said principal David Ellis CNZM.

“It's always a massive thrill to win a race in their already quite famous colours and I can see that with the decisions they're making, and the quality of mares and stallions they're acquiring, that's its only a matter of time before Cambridge Stud is recognised again worldwide and helps take the New Zealand racing industry to the next level.”

Looking for a drag into calculations after beginning from an awkward draw (8), Get Hitched received a made to measure run in transit and the big black mare powered clear to win handsomely.

“She's been a bit of a head-scratcher at times,” said trainer Jamie Richards. “She can gallop with anything at home and keeps up no problem. She trialled really well in July at Te Rapa, before we sent her to Australia, where she was caught out on a couple of firm tracks, and freshened nicely before trialling well again at Te Aroha.

“Her first-up run was a bit disappointing at Awapuni, but she was back and wide throughout, and today, with some rain overnight, she really fronted up and seems to enjoy chip out of the track. She's a big strong mare and appreciates a little easing in the ground. 

“She was caught deep in running, but travelled comfortably and Danielle (Johnson) kept her balanced and I thought she found the line really nicely. She's a beautiful mare and it won't be her last win.”

In the race sponsored by House of Elliott, Get Hitched ran the 1200 metres in 1:12.3, last 600m in 36.1, and returned $4.00 & $1.70 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“What a thrill it is to win 80 races inside the first five months of the season, absolutely incredible,” Ellis said.

“I congratulate not only Jamie (Richards) but all the staff that work for us in Matamata. The 80 wins have included 13 stakes wins in New Zealand, plus the Group 1 and Group 3 by Probabeel (Savabeel) in Sydney, and it reflects the great amount of work by each and every one of them. 

“We've got world-class quality staff, and you just don't achieve record-breaking results without them. 

“When everybody else is holidaying at the beach, my team are working their butts off through the Christmas/New Year period and you can only do it with such dedicated people.

“Jamie has done an incredible job, encouraging them towards achieving their own personal levels of development, and they all want to be a part of a successful team. 

“It's also thrilling for Karyn and me to be working alongside all these wonderful people and it needs to said what a buzz we, and our owners, are getting from what is already a highlight season.”

By Australian Horse of the Year, Champion Sire, and sire of sires Lonhro (Octagonal), Get Hitched is the first foal from a race winning mare over 1400 metres in Australia. Her third dam, Love Dance (Kaapstad), was a dual Group 1 winner of the Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) and Avondale Cup (2200m).

Get Hitched was strapped by Sam Bergerson.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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