Riccarton Double - Hooray! Harry Wins

Deserving of victory, Hooray For Harry (3 g Harry Angel – Here We Come, by Exceed And Excel) prevailed in the $25,000 Maiden 1200 metres on 5 March at Riccarton.

After running the fastest last 600m (34.3) for second over 1200 metres on the course in early February, Hooray For Harry came out of midfield to lead before again finishing second on Heavy8 in the 1200 metres on 23 February at Ashburton, and rated a top three chance.

Confronted again by Heavy8 footing, conditions which appear near the end of his comfort range, Hooray For Harry also had to negate barrier one as better footing appeared wider on the track. However jockey Michael McNab did a good job of nursing him along, coursing wider in the straight, and he fought best in a tight finish. 

“He’d been running really well and he’s a kind, giving horse,” McNab said. “He deserved that.

“I waited as long as I could, got my head in front, and he did enough to keep it there.”

In the race named Riccarton Park Function Centre, Hooray For Harry scored by half a head, running 1200 metres in 1:13.4 on Heavy8 footing, and as race favourite he paid $1.90 to win on the NZ TAB tote. 

“It was good to get a win with him and great for the owners, they’ve been very patient,” said Mark Walker, who trains with Sam Bergerson.

“It was a lovely ride of McNab’s because the one barrier draw was probably a disadvantage, the way the track is, but he certainly guided him out as wide as he could.

“Just hope that win gives him confidence to go on with it in the next grade - it was great to see him salute the Judge.”

Owned by the Te Akau Here Comes Harry Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Hooray For Harry was purchased for $125,000 by David Ellis CNZM, from the draft of Carlaw Park, at the 2023 Karaka Book 1 Sale. 

Crowned World Champion Sprinter, sire Harry Angel (Dark Angel) had a Timeform rating higher than four Everest (1200m) winners and, at the time of buying Hooray For Harry, his sire already had two stakes' winners with his oldest crop two-year-olds in Australia, a figure that has increased to 17 stakes' winners. 

His dam Here We Come, winner of three races to 1200 metres in Australia, is by Australian Champion Sire and leading broodmare sire Exceed and Excel (Danehill), and she has now left four individual winners of seven races. 

Grand-dam Heptonstall is by the mighty champion racehorse Octagonal (Zabeel), winner of 10 Group One races, who in turn sired the equally impressive 11-time Group One winner Lonhro, while as a broodmare sire, he has an enviable record of 77 stakes' winners.

At the time of his purchase, Ellis said: “He’s by the exciting young Darley stallion Harry Angel, who is leaving forward types that are proving very competitive in Australia. 

“He’s out of a mare by Exceed and Excel and you just can’t get better than him as a broodmare sire. He’s a really well put together colt and the mare has already left a good horse in Another Rally (subsequently named Beato, a winner in Hong Kong), who won both his starts in Australia.”

Hooray For Harry was strapped by Grace Stevenson

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz