Omens were the order of the day as Glenn Old saddled up Our King Sway for the Gr. 3 Platinum Homes Taranaki Cup at New Plymouth today.
An ideal slow track and 1800-metre distance, rider Anna Jones needing one more win to notch a century – everything in place for a long-awaited change in luck.
“There is a god after all,” was Old’s first reaction after Our King Sway and Jones delivered a long-neck victory over topweight Overtheriver, who had taken the lead with 800 metres to run.
“He’s had so much bad luck this horse, I thought we were never going to win another race. Everything was right, if ever he was going to win another race this was his chance.”
It wasn’t pretty but Our King Sway got the job done, settling last and then making a dour run around the field before grinding it out over the final 200 metres as the seven-kilogram weight difference between him and the runner-up told.
Cruiser added to a tight finish as he fought strongly along the inside to finish third a neck back, with a long neck to Twoznotenough in fourth place. The favourite All Roads crossed the line a well beaten sixth after tracking the speed.
"He deserved that," said Old, "and it's a bonus for Anna to get her 100th win on him. She rode him well and it's good to see her get a break after a bit of a lean spell."
One further omen that Old didn’t consider until after Our King Sway’s win was the amazing record on the Taranaki track put together by 1970s iron horse Seven Forty Seven, who was prepared by the Matamata trainer’s father Kevin for Texan oilman Nelson Bunker Hunt.
The plain bay son of Balmerino’s sire Trictrac was a provincial cups specialist, putting together a record of 22 wins and 26 minor placings from 106 starts. His most important win was the Gr. 3 Manawatu Cup, but New Plymouth was inarguably his favourite track, with no less than four wins there in the Caltex Gold Cup and another three wins in the Taranaki Cup.
“It’s great to know that this horse’s name is up there along with the Seven Forty Seven on the Taranaki Cup board,” said the younger Old, who was born in the same year, 1968, as Seven Forty Seven.
“He raced for a long time and I remember him when he was older. He was a real favourite with everyone.”
Old now intends freshening Our King Sway, who he races in partnership with his brother Mark and close friend Vaughan Nowell, having taken a punt on the sway-backed grey when paying $5,200 for him at a Karaka weanling sale.
Today’s win was his fourth from 26 starts and took his stake-earnings past $100,000. He will get the chance at another good prize with the plan to target the $100,000 Japan-New Zealand International Trophy at Tauranga in late March.
