PETRACHOR WINS ON DEBUT

Able to overcome the outside barrier (12), Petrachor (3 f Redwood – Mother, by Red Ransom) made a winning debut in the $10,000 Maiden 2YO & Up 1200 metres on 18 July at Hastings.

Pressing forward to finally situate outside the leader at the 800m, Petrachor gained a narrow advantage at the 300m, found a crucial length at the 100m, and defied a late closer under the urgings of Cameron Lammas to win the race sponsored by Carrfields Primary Wool and Livestock.

After showing plenty of dash to win a trial by nearly four lengths on 11 June at Taupo, the bugbear of a wide draw appeared the main issue, but she had shown gate speed which in the end was key to a bold first-up performance.

“She trialled well and she was certainly very well in herself to debut,” said co-trainer Pam Gerard, who prepares the horse for Westbury Stud owner Gerry Harvey.

By Westbury Stud stallion Redwood (High Chaparral), from an unraced mare, Petrachor is a half-sister to winners Niobe (Niello) and Big Mama (Red Giant). And although not overly big, she had improved for the trial win and presented gleaming in the coat.

“She’s a tough little filly,” Gerard said. “She didn’t really like the hard tracks when we trialled her in the summer, and hated the really heavy tracks when we galloped her up at home, so good to get her on a slow track here at Hastings.”

Having won her trial on Dead6 footing, the Slow8 on offer suited ideally and running the 1200 metres in 1:14.0 Petrachor was a drifter in betting to return $5.50 & $1.80 on the NZ TAB tote.

The win followed a good day for Ballymore at the trials on Monday 15 July at Te Rapa: the six runners included wins by He’s A Gold Digger (Deep Field), Glenhope (O’Reilly), and Poppy O’Neill (Pins), while Osatsio (Savabeel) and Ian’s Legacy (Rip Van Winkle) both trialled solidly for fourth.

Petrachor was strapped by Bianca Disher.