Watch This Space
Trish Dunell
Wayne Hillis had pre-race worries on two fronts with Watch This Space at Tauranga, but neither amounted to anything as the four-year-old coasted to his first black type victory.
The Matamata horseman, who prepares the gelding with Shaun Kesner, ended a frantic search for a jockey by booking Brendan Hutton for Saturday's Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Japan/NZ International Trophy and then had concerns about the heavy going.
"Reese Jones rode him last time and then his manager rang and said he couldn't make the 52kg," Hillis said.
He wasn't the only trainer struggling for a rider as the handicap conditions of the feature mile had all but Julinsky Prince on the minimum weight.
"We got Brendan in the end and he got the job done really well," Hillis said. "I was worried about the track as well, he'd had one run on a slow track and struggled on it.
"He's had a few runs this time in and he'll go to the Easter and then go out for a break."
Watch This Space sat third on the outer before Hutton made his move across the top to hit the lead on straightening.
"He travelled beautifully and kept on kicking," he said. "We had the light weight and were getting seven and a half kilos from Julinsky Prince so we had to make the most of it and make him chase us.
"It was a great training performance on the seven day back-up."
Watch This Space had three lengths to spare on Julinsky Prince, who chased bravely without ever looking likely to make up the leeway, to give Hutton the biggest win of his career.
Nigelissima was a solid third in her first appearance for five months and the resuming Candle In the Wind also made some late ground to finish fourth. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Matamata horseman, who prepares the gelding with Shaun Kesner, ended a frantic search for a jockey by booking Brendan Hutton for Saturday's Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Japan/NZ International Trophy and then had concerns about the heavy going.
"Reese Jones rode him last time and then his manager rang and said he couldn't make the 52kg," Hillis said.
He wasn't the only trainer struggling for a rider as the handicap conditions of the feature mile had all but Julinsky Prince on the minimum weight.
"We got Brendan in the end and he got the job done really well," Hillis said. "I was worried about the track as well, he'd had one run on a slow track and struggled on it.
"He's had a few runs this time in and he'll go to the Easter and then go out for a break."
Watch This Space sat third on the outer before Hutton made his move across the top to hit the lead on straightening.
"He travelled beautifully and kept on kicking," he said. "We had the light weight and were getting seven and a half kilos from Julinsky Prince so we had to make the most of it and make him chase us.
"It was a great training performance on the seven day back-up."
Watch This Space had three lengths to spare on Julinsky Prince, who chased bravely without ever looking likely to make up the leeway, to give Hutton the biggest win of his career.
Nigelissima was a solid third in her first appearance for five months and the resuming Candle In the Wind also made some late ground to finish fourth. – NZ Racing Desk.