Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
West Coast showed his champion qualities at Te Rapa on Sunday when he chased down runaway leader Whiskey Tango to score his first win in 20 months in the Waikato Hunt Cup (3900m).
The Mark Oulaghan-trained 10-year-old has an unblemished record at the Hamilton track, winning both of his previous starts at the venue, including the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Great Northern Steeplechase (6500m), but he has been winless since his 2024 triumph.
Following a seven-run campaign last year, Oulaghan gave West Coast a longer than usual break over summer, which he believes has helped the evergreen jumper, who had pleased the Palmerston North horseman ahead of his first jumps assignment of the season on Sunday.
With regular rider Shaun Fannin having retired from jumps racing, Oulaghan utilised the services of Joshua Parker, rewarding the Auckland hoop for coming down to school some of his horses.
Parker didn’t let Oulaghan down, following instructions to the letter, stalking his rivals for much of the journey, while pacemaker Whiskey Tango set a solid tempo upfront.
Parker gradually worked his charge into the race from the 600m, but it looked like he was running for second at the top of the straight when ranging up alongside Jakama Krystal, with Whiskey Tango five lengths in front.
However, West Coast belied his age and 72kg impost when he responded to Parker’s urgings and started to eat into Whiskey Tango’s lead, nabbing the Bill Thurlow and Sam O’Malley-trained gelding on the line to win by half a length.
Parker was in awe of West Coast following the win.
“What a horse,” he said.
Parker was full of praise for Oulaghan’s horsemanship and said he followed his instructions and they were rewarded with a winning result.
“A big thanks to Mark and the owners for giving me the opportunity,” Parker said.
“Mark is a man of few words but a lot of intelligence. We all questioned whether the ground (Soft5) was too firm, but Mark said to me ‘don’t worry about it, leave it to him’. I left it to him and look what he has done.
“He may be an older horse, he may have a lot of weight, but he is so game.
“He felt unreal. I had to keep pulling him back a few times, he was going too good.
“He has just done the job beautifully, he was travelling nice throughout the whole race.”
Parker is looking forward to continuing his association with the Champion jumper and said you’ll need a crowbar to get him off.
“I am very happy and fingers crossed he is all good tomorrow and we will see where it takes him next,” he said.
– By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
