Hushed on Way to Open Company

The Informant reports:

After racking up the wins on the way through the grades, unheralded six-year-old Hushed is now in the box seat to contest some of our most lucrative staying races.

At Te Rapa today the Stephen Autridge/Jamie Richards-trained gelding staked his claim with a winning open class debut in the SVS Hamilton Cup. Graduating from a fresh-up success over 1480 metres at Stratford on New Year's Eve, Hushed took his recent record to four wins from his last six starts.

In a daring Opie Bosson ride, the big bay put a break on his rivals soon after straightening and held out the late charge of favourite Von Tunzelman by a long neck.

Hushed, who was rated at 83 before today's race, will now get the chance in the $100,000 Go Racing Avondale Gold Cup in two weeks' time. Another pleasing effort in that Group Two race could be his ticket to the country's richest staying event, the $500,000 Barfoot & Thomson Auckland Cup on March 11.

The Don Eduardo gelding is raced by a partnership comprising his co-breeder Anne Hadfield, who works in the administration department of Christchurch Hospital, neurosurgeon Ronald Boet and the Carers' Syndicate made up of five nurses who also work at Christchurch Hospital.

“We had him down south while he was still growing into himself and he did a lot of work on the jogger with one of my harness racing friends,” Hadfield said. “When the time came I got in touch with David Ellis and sent him up to Te Akau, so it's wonderful to see what he's achieved.

“By the sound of it the boys have some exciting plans for him, so I'd better get ready for that.”

Von Tunzelman lost none of his big rap in defeat, having got well out of his ground early and then getting home impressively once he had worked into the clear.

Storming The Tower was likewise doing his best work late in third place, with Endean Rose and Sierra Beel next across the line.

Francis Drake and Arrow In The Sand were both declared non-runners after jumping several lengths behind when the field was despatched. Video replay viewed at a subsequent inquiry showed a starter's assistant holding onto a rein of each horse which were in adjacent midfield stalls.  Even though Francis Drake was rearing as the gates opened, it was ruled that the assistant's actions had contributed to the situation.