Winning Matamata Double

Te Akau New Zealand trainer Jamie Richards and the team were in fine form "at home" at Matamata with a winning double - the first coming with yet another win for the Te Akau/Cambridge Stud potent combination ...

Get Hitched  (3 f Lonhro - Wedding, by Commands) continued the fine combination of Cambridge Stud owned horses trained by Jamie Richards when winning the Maiden 1200 metres on 11 March at Matamata.

Last Saturday at Trentham, two-year-old filly Pazienza (Written Tycoon) impressed on debut in the black and gold chequers of Brendan Lindsay (MNZM) & Jo Lindsay, a week after history making filly Probabeel (Savabeel) produced an unbelievable performance to win the Surround Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) at Royal Randwick, Sydney. 

Impressive winning at the trials on 25 February at Avondale, and shortening dramatically in betting from $3.20 to return $1.70, Get Hitched provided few concerns after rider Opie Bosson found a sweet spot and once presented she proved too good in winning by one and three-quarter lengths. 

“I managed to slot in before the turn and she started to relax and breathed nicely,” Bosson said. “She had the measure of them before I turned in. After her last trial she'd shown to be a lot stronger this time in.”

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 One winner of the Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) and Avondale Cup (2200m).

“It looked like it might be a bit sticky early, but Opie is riding in a great vain of form and he's a confidence man,” Richards said. “She's a promising filly that Brendan & Jo sent back from Australia, and the key to her was just a little bit of easing in the ground. I'd say she's got a good future in front of her.”

On Dead5 footing, in the race sponsored by Retox Bar & Tokoroa Club Maiden 1200 metres, Get Hitched ran the 1200 metres in 1:12.2.

Get Hitched was given time after her first start for the stable, when third in the Maiden 3YO 1100 metres on 27 November at Rotorua. 

“Even next year, I think she might be able to get black type. She's got a lovely pedigree and she's a really good type.”

Get Hitched continued the purple patch for trainer Jamie Richards. Preparing a Group One double with Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel) and Avantage (Fastnet Rock) last Saturday at Ellerslie, a week on from Probabeel (Savabeel) and Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle) achieving the same result at Randwick, Sydney, the Trainers' Premiership leader has won with nine of his last 15 runners.  

Get Hitched was strapped by Reece Trumper.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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