Group 1 celebrations aren’t new to Harvey Green, but he’s still pinching himself at the outcome of the New Zealand Derby.
The part-owner of shock winner Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) was overwhelmed by the Ellerslie Classic with the result slowly sinking in.
While the Wanganui-based Green hadn’t written off their chances of claiming the Blue Riband like most – the colt was unwanted and went out at better than 100-1 – he’s still getting used to the result.
“After the race I turned to my wife Linda and said, we've just won the New Zealand Derby and she said 'are you sure?'” he said.
“I couldn't figure out why no-one around us was cheering - at $105 no-one had backed him. It was all very surreal.
“You dream about these things and we’re not new to the industry so we are now appreciating it.”
“You dream about these things and we’re not new to the industry so we are now appreciating it.” – Harvey Green.
Green’s first taste of top level success came as a member of a Te Akau syndicate that raced the 2011 G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Rock ‘n’ Pop (Fastnet Rock).
He went on to finish runner-up in the New Zealand Derby and, ironically, the Stephen Marsh-trained Crown Prosecutor narrowly denied the Te Akau representative In A Twinkling (Fastnet Rock) on Saturday.
Crown Prosecutor had won the G3 Wellington S. in January before finishing eighth in the G1 Levin Classic and ninth in the G2 Waikato Guineas.
Harvey Green (white jacket) leading Crown Prosecutor after his win in the New Zealand Derby
“Punters were quite dismissive of him. He won at Otaki with a brilliant ride from Jason Waddell,” Green said.
“He hadn’t done any work in the race and knuckled down to it and went through the gap with a good turn of foot.” – Harvey Green.
“He got to the front and punched him out and we thought we’d do the same thing at Wellington, but it didn’t work out.
“He then drew barrier one at Te Rapa and the inside of the track was off. He got back and the first four turning for home that day ran one, two, three and four and I thought our horse hit the line pretty well.
“We knew on Saturday that probably half of them couldn’t run 2400 metres. He hadn’t done any work in the race and knuckled down to it and went through the gap with a good turn of foot.”
Green races Crown Prosecutor with prominent Wellington owner Lib Petagna, an arrangement that came about by chance.
“That was below my budget so I still had a bit more to spend.” – Harvey Green.
“I went to the Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne with the idea of buying a horse or two for the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka,” Green said.
“I commissioned Bruce Perry and we were sitting in the ring when Crown Prosecutor was passed in for $50,000. He had a reserve of $60,000.
Crown Prosecutor pictured as a yearling
“That was below my budget so I still had a bit more to spend. We wandered over to his box and they agreed to sell him.”
Perry is also Petagna’s racing and bloodstock manager and a deal was subsequently done to race the colt in partnership.
“Bruce asked if I wanted to sell a half share and Lib would take it. We weren’t racing anything else at that time so we were happy to do that.
“Bruce asked if I wanted to sell a half share and Lib would take it.” – Harvey Green.
“I’ve only met Lib once and it’s the first time I’ve had a horse with Stephen. It’s an outstanding stable and their communication is great.”
Crown Prosecutor has bounced through his Ellerslie heroics well and a crack at the G1 Queensland Derby later in the year is now a distinct possibility, as it is for runner-up In A Twinkling.
Crown Prosecutor (inside)
“He’s very tough and kept up a good gallop in the run home. I thought he was going to get him (Crown Prosecutor) all the way down the straight, but he was just a little too tough for us on the day,” In A Twinkling’s trainer Jamie Richards said.
“We’re going to see how he comes through the next couple of days, but if he pulls up well then I definitely think Brisbane is the best option for him.”
“It’s tough times and it’s only really our passion and love for the game that keeps us in it.” – Harvey Green.
Green, who retired from the petrol station business two and a-half years ago, also breeds under his Huntingdale Lodge banner.
“I had a Rock ‘n’ Pop filly with Fraser Auret,” he said. “I said to him if she can’t win a stakes race as a 3-year-old I’d put her in foal.
“He said she couldn’t so she’s in foal to Charm Spirit. She’s called Scintillating and she’s out of a half-sister to the Group 1 winning Savabeel siblings Embellish and Diademe.
“I’ve got another mare, Love Sophia, who’s in foal to Ribchester. We sold her colt by Exosphere at the Book 1 Sale at Karaka for $45,000.
“That was a bit disappointing. It’s tough times and it’s only really our passion and love for the game that keeps us in it.”
