Hushed Can't be Silenced

Hushed (5 g Don Eduardo - Danewhisper, by Danehill) made it four wins from the last five runners for team Te Akau, when he won the Rating 65 1950 metres in comprehensive fashion on 29 April at Blenheim.

After Highly Likely (High Chaparral) and Skyscraper (Manhattan Rain) scored a day earlier at Tauranga, Affinee (Exceed and Excel) won the first race and Hushed bookended the programme.

Despite being taken on front throughout, rider Lisa Allpress never relinquished her spot on the rail and in the end Hushed ran clear to win handsomely by four lengths.

It certainly was a compelling victory and providing he comes through the race in good order, trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards indicated their intentions of backing up in the corresponding race on the second day of the meeting - Sunday May 1 - where he will claim two kilos to carry the same weight (60kgs) with apprentice Doni Prastiyou aboard.

Hushed was unlucky when resuming recently in the Rating 65 1580 metres at Waipa. Clipping heels to dislodge apprentice Hanafi Noorman in his first race day ride, but had finished second over 1800m, won his maiden at 2000m, and the 1950 metres was ideal.

“I just got a nice birthday present,” said majority owner and breeder Dr. Ronald Boet, who shares the ownership with Anne Hadfield and The Carers' Syndicate.

“I managed to get home just in time and I'm very happy. I said to my secretary at four o'clock that I'm going to pack up and go and watch Trackside because I've got a horse running.

“He's always been a big, strong lad and looked as though he would need a bit of time to mature but Steve and Jamie is doing a great job with him.

“He kept on running in front and put the pedal down when winning his maiden at Hastings, and he looks promising.

“Although it was unfortunate at Waipa, I was just happy that the jockey didn't get hurt. It happened at high speed and he just suddenly disappeared under horses.   Lisa (Allpress) rode him beautifully on the inside, so the others had a bit more distance to cover but he did a very good job winning by such a big margin.

“When Anne (Hadfield), Malcolm (Shinn) and I bred him, we were hoping to get a horse to run a bit of distance and it's good to see him winning over more than just 1400 or 1600 metres.

“I bought his dam, Danewhisper, from a liquidation sale up north and she came in foal to Align."

Te Akau principal David Ellis purchased the resultant Align (Night Shift) foal for $40,000 at the 2010 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale, from the draft of Phoenix Park, and racing as Secret Whisper he won four races.

“Te Akau also has the two year old Alamosa - Danewhisper, which Jamie (Richards) inspected during cup week here last November and he is broken in, gelded, and in work at Matamata,” said Dr. Boet. 

The first foal out of Danewhisper, Sinar Pelangi (Faltaat), won three times up to a mile in Malaysia, and half-sister Lasswade (Johar) was thought to be an Oaks filly before going on to win four races.

Hushed has top sires Danehill (Danzig) and Mr Prospector (Raise a Native) on his dam-side, while his third dam, Sangue (Lyphard) was a triple Group One winner of 13 races up to 2200m in the U.S.A.

Hushed was strapped by Kurt Hillis.

Photo credit - [email protected]

Back