Emotional scenes played out around the Riccarton birdcage on Saturday afternoon following a desperate finish to the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) that saw Matamata visitor Pier justify his favourite’s tag by the barest of margins
The three-year-old son of Proisir went into the race off the back of a stylish victory in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) with his many supporters confident he could prove even more effective at his first attempt over 1600m.
Those supporters had their hearts in their mouths midway through the contest as rider Michael McNab opted to race three-wide in midfield to avoid being trapped amongst runners off the back of a sedate speed set up by outsider Alfriston.
McNab crept his way forward to tackle the leaders at the top of the straight but was soon in a dogfight as Desert Lightning joined him with 300m to run, while Alfriston and the well-supported filly Prowess were fighting on gamely.
Just as Desert Lightning looked to have gained the upper hand, Pier stuck his head back in front and held that margin to the finish line with Prowess a half-length back in third.
Trainer Darryn Weatherley, who prepares Pier with daughter Briar, was close to tears as he explained how much the victory meant to him.
“That’s everything to me,” Weatherley said.
“I never won a Group One as a jockey and that is something that irked me.
“It has played on my mind for a long time, so to get one with my whole family here it is a huge result and definitely the highlight of my career.”
Weatherley paid tribute to his charge after he endured such a tough run throughout the race.
“We bred him (along with Barry Wright) and his granddam (Naturo) ran fifth in the 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m), so for her grandson to come out and win this one is quite special,” he said.
“He is a real character and I said during the week he would be quite happy with me at the pub.
“He is a beautiful horse and we are lucky to have him.
“My fingernails are gone as we were three-wide, facing the breeze in a slowly run race and I was a bit worried, but he just fought it out so well.”
McNab admitted a replay of his ride wouldn’t look pretty but circumstances had dictated his actions.
“There were different scenarios and that was one of them, but it was all a bit ridiculous,” McNab said.
“They just slowed up and slowed up and I thought the best thing I can do is sit three wide and get comfortable.
“It left me vulnerable but lucky he is so tough.
“Well done to the Weatherleys as they had him in good condition and he is a good horse.”
Pier was bred by Weatherley and his wife Lou along with close friend Barry Wright, who share in the ownership alongside well-known Australian racing identity Ozzie Keir, who purchased a 25 percent share in the horse before he ran second at Hastings in the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m), his only raceday defeat in four starts.
He is out of the winning Darci Brahma mare La Vitesse, also dam of Marina Farina who finished runner-up earlier on the card. La Vitesse is a daughter of multiple Group winner Naturo who was injured and retired when finishing close-up in fifth in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
85-year-old Barry Wright, who co-bred and part owns Pier, was on-course to celebrate the elite level victory, his first in that capacity and something he has been striving for for 45 years.
Pier joins Levante and Dark Destroyer as individual Group One winners for his sire Proisir, who stands at Rich Hill Stud near Matamata.
Proisir will be represented by four individuals at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale of Two-Year-Olds that will run on 16 & 17 November at Karaka.
