Excitement had been running high at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day well before Hasselhoof (NZ) (Tavistock) impressively won the Group 2 $100,000 Rich Hill Mile (1600m).
The exciting four-year-old is the talk of New Zealand racing with his picket fence formline but faced his biggest test in his sixth race-day start, taking on open company for the first time in a strong Group 2 line-up.
With persistent rain, the Ellerslie track was downgraded to a slow7, conditions Hasselhoof hadn’t experienced race-day but ‘The Hoof’ lived up to the hype with an impressive performance.
The Tavistock gelding began brilliantly from barrier 6 to settle fourth one off the fence before working up to take the lead soon after straightening up. He then dashed away to win comfortably by two-and–a-quarter-lengths to Consensus (NZ) (Postponed) in second, just edging out Irion (NZ) (Danroad) a nose back in third.
“We are looking at the Karaka Stayers Cup (2200m) on the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting at Ellerslie on the 24th of January and the Group 1 New Zealand Stakes (WFA, 2000m) on March 12,”commented co-trainer Donna Logan. “It depends what the handicapper does. This was his first run in open company and he’s already carrying the same weight as Group winners.”
Hasselhoof also holds a nomination to the Group 1 Auckland Cup (3200m) on March 12.
Logan purchased Hasselhoof as a yearling at New Zealand’s Bloodstock 2013 Karaka Select Sale for $14,000 from Pencarrow Stud.
Logan retains a share in the ownership in the four-year-old along with Sir Peter Vela, who bred him with Philip Vela, Sir Parick Hogan, the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, Garry Cossey, B & R Alexander, the Hoof syndicate, Baywatch syndicate and the estate of the late Bill Woods.
Unbeaten in six starts, Hasselhoof has now won over $116,000.
A half-brother by Rip Van Winkle is catalogued at Lot 168 at the 2016 Karaka Premier Sale from Pencarrow Stud.
The son of Tavistock is out of Zabeel mare Alpine and is a half-brother to stakes-winner Vercos (Catbird), winner of the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes. His dam is a full-sister to Manawa King (Zabeel), a runner-up in the Group 1 Sydney Cup, and is a half-sister to the stakes-winner Lord Ted (Ballina), winner of the Group 1 Ellerslie Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Cambridge Stud based Tavistock was one of the well sought-after stallions at NZB Ready to Run Sale in November with eight two-year-olds averaging over $160,000. He is the sire Group 1 winners Tarzino (NZ), winner of the Group 1 Victoria Derby, and Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ), winner of the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas.
Tavistock has 50 lots entered at Karaka 2016 and he covered a full book in 2015.
