Sean Kiernan
Tara Hughes
Taranaki dairy farmer Sean Kiernan owns just one broodmare, but her stocks rose significantly following the upset victory of Fanatic (NZ) (Shocking) in Saturday's Gr.1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks.
Kiernan milks 120 cows at Normanby on the outskirts of Hawera and bred and races the Shocking filly Fanatic from his Groom Dancer mare KompleteKlass.
Her win brought emotional success for veteran TeAwamutu trainer Graeme Sanders who trains the filly in partnership with his daughter Debbie Sweeney.
Kiernan has been a long-time client and, is one of Sanders' few individual owners, with most of his team raced by syndicates.
"It was quite moving really," Sanders said. "It's great to get a result for a small-time owner who is such a good bloke and who has been such a great client - it means a lot to us all."
Fanatic went into the classic for 3-year-old fillies with one win from 11 starts and was discarded by most punters to pay a whopping $63.50 to win.
She boosted her earnings by $175,000 to $183,475 and added immeasurably to her value for her owner who was up at 6am on Sunday to milk his cows.
The cows might play second fiddle in the short-term.
Kiernan milks 120 cows at Normanby on the outskirts of Hawera and bred and races the Shocking filly Fanatic from his Groom Dancer mare KompleteKlass.
Her win brought emotional success for veteran TeAwamutu trainer Graeme Sanders who trains the filly in partnership with his daughter Debbie Sweeney.
Kiernan has been a long-time client and, is one of Sanders' few individual owners, with most of his team raced by syndicates.
"It was quite moving really," Sanders said. "It's great to get a result for a small-time owner who is such a good bloke and who has been such a great client - it means a lot to us all."
Fanatic went into the classic for 3-year-old fillies with one win from 11 starts and was discarded by most punters to pay a whopping $63.50 to win.
She boosted her earnings by $175,000 to $183,475 and added immeasurably to her value for her owner who was up at 6am on Sunday to milk his cows.
The cows might play second fiddle in the short-term.
Fanatic (outside) won the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks
Race Images
"I think we'll be drying-off in the next few days - there's not a lot of grass around and the Oaks cheque is nearly as big as this season's milk cheque," said Kiernan, a dedicated racing enthusiast and president of the Hawera Racing Club.
He has his brother-in-law Gordon Cunningham of Curraghmore fame, to thank for sourcing KompleteKlass on his behalf.
"Gordon has the eye for a horse, I might know what a good looking old dairy cow is, but Gordon sees something in a horse that the rest of us can't.
"He was at Raffles Farm and had seen an O'Reilly colt out of the mare and found out she was going to be sold at a Magic Millions Sale."
Cunningham secured the mare on Kiernan's behalf for A$30,000.
By Groom Dancer, KompleteKlass is a half-sister to Singapore Group Three winner Absolutely and stakes placegetterKompleteKaos, who is the dam of the Group One winner Rockdale.
Fanatic became the first Group One winner for her sire Shocking, a Melbourne Cup-winning son of Street Cry who stands at Rich Hill Stud.
Hot favourite Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi), carrying the weight of punters' money,was lugging when she came around the home turn, and she drifted out as she powered down the straight.
She and Fanatic moved close together in the final stages, and there was contact three strides short of the finish line that proved to be crucial.
With the margin a nose, it was ruled that the contact interrupted Fanatic's momentum enough to affect the result.
The appeal was upheld and placings reversed.
The win surprised punters but not connections.
"GK [Graeme Sanders] has been confident in this filly right through and told me back in August he was setting her for the Oaks," Kiernan said.
"In reality I went to Trentham on Saturday thinking we might run second to Sofia Rosa but thanks to a wonderful ride by Mark Hills we won the race."
The connections of Sofia Rosahad some consolation with their filly picking up seven points in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series to clinch the title in the 2015-16 season with 21 points.
"We're proud of her effort today," trainer Stephen Marsh said. "There's no good blowing up about losing the race after the inquiry."
He has his brother-in-law Gordon Cunningham of Curraghmore fame, to thank for sourcing KompleteKlass on his behalf.
"Gordon has the eye for a horse, I might know what a good looking old dairy cow is, but Gordon sees something in a horse that the rest of us can't.
"He was at Raffles Farm and had seen an O'Reilly colt out of the mare and found out she was going to be sold at a Magic Millions Sale."
Cunningham secured the mare on Kiernan's behalf for A$30,000.
By Groom Dancer, KompleteKlass is a half-sister to Singapore Group Three winner Absolutely and stakes placegetterKompleteKaos, who is the dam of the Group One winner Rockdale.
Fanatic became the first Group One winner for her sire Shocking, a Melbourne Cup-winning son of Street Cry who stands at Rich Hill Stud.
Hot favourite Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi), carrying the weight of punters' money,was lugging when she came around the home turn, and she drifted out as she powered down the straight.
She and Fanatic moved close together in the final stages, and there was contact three strides short of the finish line that proved to be crucial.
With the margin a nose, it was ruled that the contact interrupted Fanatic's momentum enough to affect the result.
The appeal was upheld and placings reversed.
The win surprised punters but not connections.
"GK [Graeme Sanders] has been confident in this filly right through and told me back in August he was setting her for the Oaks," Kiernan said.
"In reality I went to Trentham on Saturday thinking we might run second to Sofia Rosa but thanks to a wonderful ride by Mark Hills we won the race."
The connections of Sofia Rosahad some consolation with their filly picking up seven points in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series to clinch the title in the 2015-16 season with 21 points.
"We're proud of her effort today," trainer Stephen Marsh said. "There's no good blowing up about losing the race after the inquiry."