Written by Paul Vettise
Timing can be everything in this game and for Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park (NZ) (Thorn Park) his has been impeccable.
The former New Zealand Horse of the Year produced 15 winners through December at home, in Australia and in Hong Kong. With New Zealand Bloodstock’s Yearling Sale series to open at Karaka later this month, his results are golden reminders.
The Matamata farm will offer 20 of Ocean Park’s sons and daughter in their Book 1 draft in their pursuit of a sixth consecutive champion vendor title.
“It’s been great and obviously hugely satisfying with the sales coming up,” stud principal Mark Chittick said.
“We’re very, very happy with him and he served around 115 mares last season. The numbers are out there and among them an awful lot of quality young horses.
“Ocean Park winners are becoming a regular occurrence and in Australia, which is so important.”
He retired to Waikato Stud off the back of a decorated career that netted five Group 1 successes, including the Cox Plate. He stood last season at NZ$30,000 + GST.
“Last year, Ocean Park had runners beaten a lip in an Oaks and in a Derby.” - Mark Chittick.
“Last year, Ocean Park had runners beaten a lip in an Oaks and in a Derby. If they had been the other way around his service fee would have gone up,” Chittick said.
He was referring to Another Dollar (NZ) in the G1 Queensland Oaks and Mongolianconqueror (NZ) in the G1 New Zealand Derby.
Ocean Park
Ocean Park has left the stakes winner Ocean Jewel, successful in the Listed Placid Ark S., and Chittick remains supremely confident there will be many more to follow.
“It’s only a matter of time before they come. Ocean Park didn’t hit his straps until he was a 4-year-old and he is out of a Zabeel mare,” he said.
“Ocean Park didn’t hit his straps until he was a 4-year-old and he is out of a Zabeel mare.” - Mark Chittick.
“We didn’t expect them to go early and there are very good numbers for him out there so it is going to happen at some stage.”
Oceanex (NZ) is a particularly progressive daughter of Ocean Park with two wins from four appearances and trainer Mick Price has Group 1 aspirations for the 3-year-old.
“I have just got to work out a programme for her,” he said. “If you kept going and going I’d end up with no horse by March or April and I don’t want to do that.
“I reckon it would be nice to think we could get her peaking for the Vinery Stud S.” – Mick Price.
“I reckon it would be nice to think we could get her peaking for the Vinery Stud S. Then if we thought she was a mile and a-half filly we could run her in the Oaks.
“I would say the Vinery would have a big circle around it at this stage.”
A half-sister to the G3 Rough Habit Plate winner Amexed (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), Oceanex was purchased by Price for NZ$70,000 from Milan Park’s draft at Karaka.
She is out of Danex (NZ) (Danasinga), who only won one race but she did run third in the G2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic and was fourth in the G1 New Zealand Oaks.
On a winning roll
While Waikato Stud have savoured the results of Oceanex in Australia, they have also enjoyed the emergence of their home-bred My Pendant (NZ) (Pins). She has won her last three starts in their familiar colours from Danny O’Brien’s Flemington yard.
Her success and bank account again highlights to Chittick the vast prizemoney gulf between the countries.
My Pendant
“We race about 15 in Australia and I unfortunately have to say that My Pendant went around for more money the other day in a normal Saturday race at Moonee Valley than our Love Affair ran for in a Group 2 race at Ellerslie,” he said.
Waikato Stud will offer a half-brother, Lot 244, by Ocean Park to My Locket during the Book 1 sale at Karaka on January 7.
Their dam My Locket (NZ) (Any Suggestion) is a half-sister to the G1 Queensland Oaks winner My Keepsake (NZ) (Keeper) and the G2 Japan-New Zealand International Trophy winner Villifye (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).
