HB owner left lamenting after unsigned deal

Monday’s win by Shez Sinsational in the Group 1 $200,000 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie has hit home to Havelock North thoroughbred owner-breeder Herbie Wong that deals, especially those involving racehorses, should never be done on just a handshake.

Wong has bred and raced horses for many years and once owned a 25 per cent share in Original Sin, the dam of Shez Sinsational. Photographs of the mare’s two wins are proudly displayed on a wall of his home.

Wong raced Original Sin in partnership with the Auckland-based company Karaka Group Limited and when it came time to breed from the mare he was of the understanding that he would get the fourth foal she produced to own outright.

However nothing was put in writing and when Karaka Group Limited went into liquidation the receivers moved in and took control of all thoroughbreds owned by the company, including Original Sin and her latest foal.

That foal, now a yearling, is a full-sister to Shez Sinsational. It is the horse Wong thought he owned until he was informed this week that, because there was nothing in writing, it was part the Karaka Group Limited assets seized by the receivers. The filly, by Ekraar out of Original Sin, will now be put up for auction at the select session of the upcoming Karaka yearling sales in Auckland. She will be offered as part of the draft from Highbury Park Stud, which is acting as agents for the receivers.

The filly already had good residual value, even before Shez Sinsational’s outstanding win on Monday, but that value has skyrocketed now that she is a full-sister to a Group 1 winner.

Original Sin has had three of her progeny to race and all of them winners. Eye Might, a full-brother to Shez Sinsational, was the winner of 10 races in Australia while Repenting, another full-sister, has won one race so far in New Zealand.

Shez Sinsational is now the winner of five races and has never finished further back than sixth in her 15 starts. She was also placed twice at Group 1 level in Australia earlier this year, finishing third in the Queensland Oaks (2400m) and second in the Queensland Derby (2400m).

A disappointed Herbie Wong thought he was going to have a full-sister to Shez Sinsational to race and breed from in the future but has been left with nothing.   

“It just goes to show you that you can’t do deals on just a handshake,” he said yesterday.

“I thought the filly was mine but, like any business deal, you need to make sure you have everything in writing and cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s.”

The Prince rules on home track

Well bred four-year-old The Prince went some way towards recouping the $300,000 he cost as a yearling when he broke through for a maiden win over 1400 metres on his home track at New Plymouth last Saturday.

The four-year-old O’Reilly gelding, trained by John Wheeler, is owned by a syndicate that includes Hawke’s Bay Racing’s general manager Jason Fleming and was bought out of the premier session of the 2009 Karaka yearling sales.

He was having his fourth start on Saturday and had finished sixth in each of his previous three runs.

The Prince is certainly bred to be good as he is out of the Grosvenor mare The Grin and a full-brother to the top class racemare The Jewel, who won 11 races including the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton and Group 1 Waikato International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa. She was also runner-up in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas, New Zealand Oaks and Queensland Oaks, all Group 1 events.

The Prince descends from the highly successful family that the Dennis brothers of Southland have bred and raced horses from for many years. His grandam is The Dimple, who won 16 races.

Last stride win for Dancing Dee

Dancing Dee, part-owned by Napier couple Alister and Jeannette Cameron, made a return to winning form with a last stride victory in a $7000 Rating 75 race over 1200 metres at last Saturday’s Taranaki meeting.

In a close four-way finish, Dancing Dee, got up on the outside to head off McLaren, La Muchacha and Princess Katie. The minor placings were changed after an enquiry, with McLaren relegated to fourth and La Muchacha and Princess Katie promoted to second and third respectively.

Dancing Dee was recording her fourth win from just 16 starts but her first since taking out a 1600-metre race at Wanganui back in March.

The six-year-old Danehill Dancer mare is trained on the Wanganui track by Wayne Marshment and raced by the Camerons in partnership with former Central Hawke’s Bay man Dave Stevenson, who now lives in Waitotara.

Dancing Dee cost $70,000 as a yearling. She is out of the Australian mare Minori Express, who was the winner of two races and is closely related to the tough Australian stayer Grey Song.

Trainers’ bonus at Woodville

Trainers have a $5000 incentive to line up as many horses as they can at this month’s Woodville-Pahiatua Racing Club’s meeting, on January 7.

The club is putting up a $5000 winner takes all prize for the trainer that accumulates the most points over the programme.

Every runner will collect a point for the trainer. Plus, the winner of each race will earn six points, second (four points) and third (two points).

At the end of the day the trainer with the most points will take home $5000 cash and, if there is a tie, the prize will be shared evenly.

Special day for racehorse owners’

The Hawke’s Bay branch of the New Zealand Racehorse Owners Federation is to stage a special day of racing for its members at the Hawke’s Bay Racing Club’s 15 January 2012 race meeting.

Federation members will get free gate admission and free entry into a special guest lounge on course. A complimentary luncheon will be provided and a members’ prize draw will be made before each race.

It is planned to also have special guest trainer/jockey appearances and speeches during the course of the day.

Those intending to attend are asked to RSVP to Tony Lyndon on (06) 876-8250 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by December 31.