Toa Haka too tough in Southern Alps final

Local runner Toa Haka (NZ) (Iffraaj) claimed the biggest prize of his career when he made every post a winner in the $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge (1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday.

The six-year-old son of Iffraaj began his raceday career in the north in 2023 under the tutelage of Te Rapa trainer David Greene where he collected a win and four placings from 16 starts before transferring to the Riccarton base of David Walsh in late 2024.

In a further 16 starts before Saturday he had produced five wins and a further five placings and went into the Southern Alps Challenge final off the back of a game win at Ashburton over 1300m earlier in the month, which qualified him for the contest.

Such was the quality of the field, the free-going gelding was allowed to start at a generous $34 Fixed Odds quote and immediately took up pacemaking duties in the hands of in-form apprentice Amber Riddell.

Riddell dictated terms and had Toa Haka travelling powerfully rounding the home bend as they slipped clear by two lengths and asked the rest of the field to chase them down.

Although visibly tiring in the last 50m, Toa Haka clung bravely to the lead and took the major spoils by a long head from the late charging Sir Albert (NZ) (Savabeel), Betty Spaghetti (Stratum Star) and Stonybreck (Tavistock) who finished virtually in a line behind him.

Walsh was thrilled with the effort from a horse who has just kept on improving with age.

“What a great result as he is such a genuine horse,” Walsh said.

“He was quite immature when I got him and has just got stronger over time. He is very game and the best part about him is he gives it his all and knows where the finish line is.

“The plan today wasn’t to lead but I always say to my jockeys that if no one else wants the front don’t be afraid to go there as if you get beaten it is my fault not yours.

“Amber (Riddell) came back in and said that nobody really wanted to lead and when he jumped so well it seemed the right thing to do as he likes the track and is hard to get past when he is at his best.

“He has had three preps for us and when he has won for us he has won his next start as well, so when he is on he is really on.”

While it was his first test beyond 1400m, Walsh wasn’t worried about the distance as Toa Haka’s breeding suggested he would thrive on the challenge.

“His dam was a very good mare who won up to 2000m at Group level so I thought he would get a mile as he can relax during his races and he’s now got the maturity to cope with it,” he said.

“I don’t have any plans for him after today as I don’t make those sorts of decisions on raceday and I like to see how they pull up before looking ahead.

“He goes on most track surfaces and has performed well on good tracks as well as with the sting out so we will have options for him.

“What will be interesting is how many rating points he gets from today which will have a bearing on what we do with him next.”

Out of the Darci Brahma mare Rasa Lila (NZ), who won the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) and the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) as well as being placed in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m), Toa Haka was bred by Sir Peter Vela’s Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and purchased by Greene for $40,000 out of the Pencarrow draft during the Book 1 Sale at Karaka in 2021.

He was offered for sale during the gavelhouse.com October 2024 thoroughbred auction where he was purchased by owner Brendan Hewlett for $1,800.

Saturday’s victory took his record to seven wins and nine placings from 33 starts and over $363,000 in prizemoney.