Kiwi filly sparking island paradise’s racing interest

6 min read

Written by Paul Vettise

Rarotonga has a well-founded reputation as a South Pacific paradise with its coastal lagoon and reefs making it particularly popular for scuba diving and snorkelling fans.

The largest of the Cook Islands has a population of less than 15,000 and is hardly a racing hot spot, but it is warming up with a New Zealand-bred filly doing her best to give the Sport of Kings a decent push.

A chance meeting with trainer Donna Logan prompted a number of local Rarotonga racing enthusiasts to become involved in the ownership of Boogie Easy (Super Easy {NZ}) and her recent win on her home track at Ruakaka set off wild celebrations.

Trainer, Donna Logan

Auckland Racing Club director, syndicator and island lover Brent Cooper also had a major hand to play in the establishment of the syndicate.

“Sandy Moore, a fellow board member, mentioned that he had this filly to lease but I didn’t have a home for it at the time.” - Brent Cooper.

“Sandy Moore, a fellow board member, mentioned that he had this filly to lease but I didn’t have a home for it at the time” he said.

“Donna Logan was in Rarotonga and stayed in our house there and I said make sure you go to the Boogie Bar.

“She did and it was like Richie McCaw rolling into the local rugby club. The locals loved it and she stayed for a few hours.

Boogie Easy as a yearling

“My wife Wendy and I go to our Rarotonga house two or three times a year and when we were next there all the boys at the bar said they wanted to race a horse so I went and looked at Sandy’s filly.

“She looked more like she should have been pulling a plough and not galloping on a plough.” - Brent Cooper.

“She looked more like she should have been pulling a plough and not galloping on a plough. She was a big, scopey thing but had impressed her pre-trainers and had a bit of pedigree, so I said to Sandy we’d take her.

“He’s kept a share and Wendy and I and Donna as well.”

The only condition at the Rarotonga end was that Boogie appear in the name so Boogie Easy it was and she is prepared by Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley, the latter joining the training partnership when Logan moved to Singapore.

“The Boogie Bar Syndicate has officially got 12 in it. The first time she raced a mob of 20 or more got together and put up a marquee on the lawn and half the town watched the race,” Cooper said.

Part-owners Brent Cooper and 'Boogie' Pita

Boogie Easy finished third on debut and then weighed in at her next two appearances before the 3-year-old broke through. But it hasn’t been all plain sailing with the filly.

“Her first couple of trials were two of the worst you’d see in your life.” - Brent Cooper.

“Her first couple of trials were two of the worst you’d see in your life,” Cooper said. “She was very field shy and nearly ran off, but Michelle and Chris said trust us she can gallop.”

Co-trainer, Michelle Bradley

To further her education, Boogie Easy was sent for a period to Mark Forbes’ Cambridge operation.

“It’s a beautiful beach and set up at Ruakaka, but she wasn’t getting used to the hustle and bustle,” Cooper said.

“She’s still a bit spooky and mentally she’s still got a way to go, but compared to what she was after those trials she’s a different horse.”

Pedigree notes

Boogie Easy is a daughter of Coat Du Roan (NZ) (Any Suggestion), who is out of a sister to Recurring (Pentire {GB}).

She crossed the Tasman in 1986 to win the G1 Railway S. at Ellerslie for trainer Gerald Ryan and the dam is also a half-sister to another top-notch sprinter in Lady Madonna (NZ) (Kingdom Bay), whose six wins featured a G1 Telegraph H.

The stock of Boogie Easy’s sire Super Easy (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), who stands at Hallmark Stud, have been on a good run of late with the filly’s stablemate and possible G1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby contender Super Gee (NZ) an impressive winner at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

Super Easy

He is also part-owned by Logan, who has two more progressive sons of Super Easy in her Singapore stable.

The Big Easy (NZ) was a debut second at Kranji before reeling off three consecutive victories while Super Posh (NZ) has a win and a placing from his two appearances.

“Super Easy’s going well and he’s had winning doubles the last two weekends,” Hallmark Stud’s Mark Baker said.

“He just needs black type horses and I’m sure they will come. He’s got a lot of promising young horses out there.” - Mark Baker.

“He just needs black type horses and I’m sure they will come. He’s got a lot of promising young horses out there.”

It’s no surprise the progeny of Super Easy are finding Singapore to their liking as he was a star on the track during his racing days there.

A 2-year-old winner in New Zealand and runner-up in the G3 Eclipse S. for the then Matamata-based trainer John Sargent, Super Easy subsequently relocated to Michael Freedman’s Kranji stable.

He won 14 races for him, including the Singapore Guineas, Lion City Cup and the Patron’s Bowl and was Horse of the Year in 2012 and 2013.

Outstanding broodmare

He is out of the 2015 New Zealand Broodmare of the Year Parfore (NZ) (Gold Brose), who passed away at Segenhoe Stud in the autumn of 2016. Nine of her 10 foals to race have been successful, including five at Group level.

Super Easy is a half-brother to the Group 1 winners Tiger Tees (Dubawi {IRE}) and Terravista (Captain Rio {GB}), who were both trained by Joseph Pride and he also now has a talented son of Super Easy in his Warwick Farm yard.

Easy Eddie has won seven times, including a dominant last-start victory on the Kensington track at Randwick to earn him a crack at the Listed Takeover Target S. at Gosford on January 17.