Waikato Thoroughbred Racing is celebrating a special hometown success after Te Rapa-trained star First Five powered to a dominant victory in the G1 BCD Group Sprint at Te Rapa on Saturday as part of Legends Day.
Prepared on course by local trainer David Greene, First Five delivered a statement performance on WTR’s best day of racing, holding off a high-quality Australian challenge to give the home crowd a moment to savour on one of the sport’s biggest stages in the Waikato.
WTR Chief Executive Andrew ‘Butch’ Castles said the result was a proud moment not only for the connections of First Five, but also for the wider Waikato racing community.
“This is exactly the kind of story that makes Legends Day so special, a Te Rapa-trained horse standing up on home turf and beating a top-class field, including some very smart Australians,” Castles said.
“First Five trains here at Te Rapa and to watch him go out and win his second Group 1 in a row in front of his home crowd is incredibly satisfying.
“We don’t have a large number of horses trained on course, so when one of them performs like this on one of WTR’s most significant racedays, it is really special. What a boost for young trainer David Greene and his team, and what a great moment for Waikato racing.”
Fresh off his G1 Telegraph victory at Trentham last month, First Five went into the BCD Group Sprint as a $7.40 fourth favourite, with Australian raiders Arkansaw Kid and Here To Shock dominating early proceedings.
Jockey Wiremu Pinn slotted First Five in behind the pace, tracking Here To Shock before producing the Te Rapa-trained five-year-old at the top of the straight. Once asked for an effort, First Five surged to the front, quickly putting several lengths on his rivals and proving too strong for the late-closing Sterling Express, scoring by 1¾ lengths.
Castles said the performance showcased not just the horse’s class, but the quality of training being produced throughout the Waikato.
“David and his team do an outstanding job here day in, day out, and this win is a credit to the work they put in behind the scenes,” he said.
“To see a locally trained horse dominate a hotly contested Group 1 on Legends Day is something that resonates with our staff, our participants and our fans.
“We also can’t forget Legarto’s triumph in the G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes either, bringing up Opie Bosson’s 100th Group 1 and trainers Ken and Bev Kelso’s 15th.
“While not trained at a WTR venue, she is part-owned by retired long-time Waikato Racing Club General Manager Tony Enting and trained in the wider Waikato and therefore another great example of the strength of the region.”
Pinn was full of praise for his mount following the win.
“He is just an absolute machine and I thought he played with them today,” Pinn said.
“It panned out perfect. They ran at a genuine pace, we were in a good rhythm and he has blown them away.
“He is very special. I think he can win a Group 1 at 1200 metres and 2000 metres. He has got a very bright future.”
Greene said the win was particularly meaningful with a strong home crowd in attendance.
“There is a huge crowd for him here today and what a win, he just dominated them,” Greene said.
“He brained a really good field and that’s how good he is. He is a really top-class horse.
“His work on Tuesday was unreal, he just gets better and better. It is amazing.”
First Five is now set to continue his campaign at Ellerslie in the G1 Sport Nation Ōtaki Māori WFA Classic in a fortnight, with longer-term ambitions across the Tasman in the spring.
Bred by part-owner Gerald Shand, the Almanzor five-year-old is out of six-win mare Payette. He has now recorded eight wins from 20 starts, including two at Group 1 level, and has amassed more than $810,000 in prizemoney.
For Waikato Thoroughbred Racing, the victory of a Te Rapa-trained horse on Legends Day was a moment to remember. First Five’s success is a proud reflection of the depth of talent based at Te Rapa, and WTR looks forward to seeing him continue to fly the flag for the venue in the seasons to come, and perhaps one day return as one of our own retired ‘racetrack legends’.