Wow-wee Wolfie

Beautiful colt Wolfwhistle (3 c O'Reilly - Legs, by Pins) scored a thrilling victory in the Bill Waring Rating 65 1600 metres, to cap a great day of racing during the Waikato Jumps' meeting on Saturday May 17 at Te Rapa.

During a week that saw the sad passing of Lisa Chittick, the win by Wolfwhistle was extremely fitting as Te Akau Principal David Ellis had purchased him from the Waikato Stud draft at the 2012 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

Ellis recalled a story about Lisa in regard to the name Wolfwhistle.

“She must have read on the internet that this O'Reilly colt out their great mare Legs had been called Wolfwhistle, and she sent me a text.
-    She said, “Wow, I love the name."
-    And I replied, “I'd love the next one out of the mare to train."
-    She said, “Gee, you never miss an opportunity."

Left alone in the run by rider Danielle Johnson, to travel on the bridle in seventh, Wolfwhistle worked into the clear bullishly on straightening and once he collared the leader at the 200 metres he stretched out impressively over the concluding stages to win well.

On footing just into the slow range, rated Slow7, Wolfwhistle ran the mile in a respectable 1:38.6 and returned odds of $5.80 & $2.10 on the NZ TAB.

“He's always been a very talented horse and David Ellis bought him at the Karaka sales with the Guineas and Derby in mind, and the way he shaped early in his career we certainly felt we had that kind of horse but he went in the wind and we decided to give him an operation given what he had shown us,” said Te Akau trainer Jason Bridgman.

“He's taken a couple of runs to come back, but he's always been a seriously talented horse.  It was going to be a challenge from barrier two, with the rail being off for the last half dozen races, and from there we had to get an economical run but Danielle (Johnson) couldn't have ridden him any better. She got the breaks and it was a ten out of ten ride.

“We just wanted to see him come back; he has been a work in progress but today gives us a lot confidence and given he doesn't really handle the wet tracks we will probably put him aside and look forward to the spring,” said Bridgman.

Danielle Johnson said: “He's a lovely animal to be on top of and he's won really nicely in the end. I've travelled pretty sweet throughout the race and on the corner when Rory (Hutchings) got going I was able to pop to the outside of his heels and he's just been too good.

“He's probably a Good3 (footing) type of horse so I wanted to get out into the better part of the track and if he hadn't had any issues then I think he would be a pretty decent animal, but he's won well today and onwards and upwards,” said Johnson.

Ellis said: “I'd truly like to thank and congratulate the owners of Wolfwhistle because they've been unbelievably patient, they've been unbelievably supportive and although they have had some bad luck with this horse they could not be a better group of people to race a horse with. They have all got other horses with us and we are going to continue to have a lot of fun.

“Jason (Bridgman) has done a marvellous job training this colt because it hasn't been easy and he had him looking absolutely sensational today,” said Ellis.

Speaking on behalf of the race sponsor, grand horsewoman Joan Egan said of the colt owned by the Te Akau Wolfwhistle Syndicate that he is ‘of lovely physique, a beautiful type of horse and you can't help but notice that he is a glorious looking colt."

From only seven starts, Wolfwhistle has now recorded two wins and a placing. His dam, Legs (Pins - River Century, by Centaine), was Joint top filly on the 2005-06 NZ 3YO Free Handicaps. Legs recorded Group One wins in the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m), also won the Eulogy Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) and finished second in the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) in a career of five wins from twelve starts, and stakes of $875,428.

Picture credit - www raceimages.co.nz