31 March 2028
Ohope Wins to bounce back in Oaks
High-class New Zealand filly Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) is expected to bounce back to her best form when she steps out in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick in a fortnight.
The daughter of Ocean Park finished a moderate fourth in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday won by fellow Kiwi Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel).
Winner of the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, Ohope Wins was having her first start for trainer Chris Waller since transferring across the Tasman and will improve significantly according to jockey James McDonald.
“It was a total forgive,” McDonald said.
“She'll be much better at mile and a half. Don't drop off her.
“She was in the worst part of the track. She was out lanes and they crawled. They crawled in the early stages, which didn't suit her.
“It became a sit and sprint, and I tried to make her run around their outside to give her clear running, and her wheels just spun. “She only got beat a length.
“She'll bounce back and be the hardest to beat in the Oaks.”
There are three yearlings by Ohope Wins sire Ocean Park in the forthcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Online Yearling Sale, conducted on Gavelhouse Plus, which concludes on April 14.
Among the offerings is a three quarter sister in blood to Ohope Wins catalogued as Lot 87 by Ocean Park out of Laced Up. - NZ Racing Desk
Kneebone kicking goals early in training career
Nick Kneebone has hit the ground running in his first full season of training, highlighted by his first Group One result last weekend when Speed Demon (NZ) (Yes Yes Yes) ran home well to finish third in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham.
The son of Yes Yes Yes had won one of his previous four starts, and while confident of a bold showing in Saturday’s juvenile feature, Kneebone was rapt to see Speed Demon belie the racing pattern of the day when roaring home from the rear of the pack to capture black-type.
“I am absolutely thrilled,” Kneebone said. “I was quite confident, I thought he would run top five and he went a little bit better than that, so I was really happy.
“It was a massive run because they weren’t really making up much ground. I was worried going into it because he has always gotten back and conserved energy for a big finish, but to finish off like that in a Group One was amazing.
“I didn’t even expect to have a runner in a Group One let alone place in one, it is massive. We are only a small team, so I must be doing something right.”
Kneebone said the day was made even more special by his Sydney-based parents, Mike and Adele, being trackside.
“Mum and Dad were there, they flew over from Sydney and they were just as thrilled as I was,” Kneebone said. “It was awesome to have them there.”
Kneebone, the son New Zealand Bloodstock's Director of Business Development Mike Kneebone, established a 20-box barn in Cambridge last year and he is enjoying being back in his homeland after spending the majority of his life in Singapore and Australia.
“I was born here, so it has always been home,” he said. “I spent a lot of time in Singapore, where I went to school, and then I moved to Australia when I was 18 and I was with John Sargent (Randwick trainer) for about seven or eight years, and with Jim and Greg Lee at Randwick.
“I have been away from home for a little while, but it is really good to be back.
“It’s starting to really feel like home now. It’s a really good setup here, we have got the pool right there and we are right across from the track. It’s really good to have all the facilities so close.
“We have got 15 in work and there are a lot of breakers to come in. I have got 20 boxes here and eight paddocks, so we will be full in the next month or so.”
While Speed Demon has been the headline act for Kneebone’s barn, he said plenty of young talent has passed through his hands, but with the stable’s business model geared towards trading young horses, many are sold before they get to the races, which has made Saturday’s result even sweeter.
“I have had a few that have sold to Hong Kong already that have won trials,” Kneebone said. “I had a Capitalist, he was probably the best talent-wise that I have had in the stable, but he is moving to Hong Kong.
“Any really good ones it is hard for me to keep because they get moved on. This one (Speed Demon) was able to slip under the radar a bit, but I thought he was impressive last prep when winning over 1100m. He was just one of the ones that was mature early and it’s like training an older horse, you can just do anything with him and travelling away he doesn’t turn a hair.
“There have been offers (for him) now, but it would have to be a good offer for him to leave, we really like him and would love to see what he can do as a three-year-old.”
Kneebone said Speed Demon has come through Saturday’s run in fine fettle, and he will now head to the spelling paddock in preparation for a spring campaign geared towards the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November.
“Joe (Doyle, jockey) got off and immediately said he was a Guineas horse, so we will go with that for now,” Kneebone said.
“He has come through it well. I will probably tip him out now and get him ready for a three-year-old season. I have always thought he would be a better three-year-old, so I will look after him and see if we can have some fun as a three-year-old.”
Bred by Blandford Lodge’s Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax, Speed Demon was purchased out of their farm’s 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft by Mike and Adele Kneebone under their Patella Bloodstock banner for $20,000 at the behest of their son, and he has more than repaid that initial purchase price, having now earned more than $77,000 in prizemoney.
“He was one of my picks,” Kneebone said. “Dad is the pro, but I spotted him in Book 2 and I said to Dad that I really liked him. We just had one bid on him, and we got him for reserve price, so he was quite a good pick up.”
Kneebone is now hoping to add to his season tally when he heads to Pukekohe on Wednesday where he will line-up four-year-old gelding Nick Time (NZ) (Time Test) in the Yourride (2100m).
“It’s a little bit tricky for him out there (barrier 17) but he will go forward,” Kneebone said. “I think he is going to be really good over ground.
“He went back to a mile last start because I wasn’t sure if he was a bit outclassed the start before at Matamata, it was quite a strong race over 2000m, but it was a respectable run.
“I just wanted to see if he wanted a mile, but Craig (Grylls, jockey) got off last start and said he definitely wants a trip. He has got that on Wednesday over 2100m and back down to 60 grade, so he should be competitive.” - Joshua Smith
New Zealand Bloodstock
Dennis Ryan
HKJC
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