Hui Hai Stars
Photo: Trish Dunell
The Tony Pike-trained filly Hui Hai Stars dashed home to score an eye-catching win at Te Aroha on Sunday.
Hui Hai Stars who was having just her second raceday start after placing third at Avondale on debut.
The benefit of that raceday experience weighed in the Pour Moi filly's favour late in the piece as she dashed away from debutant Way Too Easy after the pair settled down to fight out the finish to the 1000 metre contest.
"She was perhaps a touch unlucky at Avondale as she never really got clear and finished the race off strongly," noted Pike after the race.
"She travelled well today from an awkward gate and it was a nice confident ride from Jordan (Nason). He didn't push the button too early and she was always travelling."
Pike is confident the filly can measure up in better company with plans in place to test that theory in the coming months.
"She's a big filly but obviously handles this sort of ground and is very genuine," he said.
"Seeing she does handle this ground and seems to love being in work I think we will press on and might look at a couple of black type options with her at the tail end of the season."
Those options could include the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m), with the traditional late season juvenile feature scheduled to be run at Otaki on the 29th of July.
Hui Hai Stars was born and raised at Curraghmore, bred by David Butler, Gordon Cunningham and John Walker, she is the tenth foal of the Pompeii Court mare There's No Doubt. She has now produced six foals to race, all winners including Real Specialist who was stakes performed in Hong Kong. She was purchased by Dean Hawthorne out of Curraghmore's 2016 NZB Select Yearling Sale draft for $40,000. – NZ Racing Desk
Hui Hai Stars who was having just her second raceday start after placing third at Avondale on debut.
The benefit of that raceday experience weighed in the Pour Moi filly's favour late in the piece as she dashed away from debutant Way Too Easy after the pair settled down to fight out the finish to the 1000 metre contest.
"She was perhaps a touch unlucky at Avondale as she never really got clear and finished the race off strongly," noted Pike after the race.
"She travelled well today from an awkward gate and it was a nice confident ride from Jordan (Nason). He didn't push the button too early and she was always travelling."
Pike is confident the filly can measure up in better company with plans in place to test that theory in the coming months.
"She's a big filly but obviously handles this sort of ground and is very genuine," he said.
"Seeing she does handle this ground and seems to love being in work I think we will press on and might look at a couple of black type options with her at the tail end of the season."
Those options could include the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m), with the traditional late season juvenile feature scheduled to be run at Otaki on the 29th of July.
Hui Hai Stars was born and raised at Curraghmore, bred by David Butler, Gordon Cunningham and John Walker, she is the tenth foal of the Pompeii Court mare There's No Doubt. She has now produced six foals to race, all winners including Real Specialist who was stakes performed in Hong Kong. She was purchased by Dean Hawthorne out of Curraghmore's 2016 NZB Select Yearling Sale draft for $40,000. – NZ Racing Desk
