Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Previous course winner New Recruit (4 g U S Navy Flag – Enigmatic, by High Chaparral) returned to form with a very good fresh-up victory in the $18,500 J. A. Russell Rating 60 1200 metres on 5 February at Tauranga.
When winning last year over 1600 metres at Tauranga, New Recruit provided a sentimental moment for Ballymore Racing, posting the first victory following the passing of Mike Moroney, who at the time was training in partnership with current trainer Pam Gerard.
Moroney, who recorded over 50 Group One wins as a trainer, established Ballymore Stables in 1982 at Matamata, also set up stables in 1999 at Flemington, and prepared Brew (Sir Tristram) to win the 2000 Melbourne Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m).
Gerard joined Moroney in partnership in 2016, to run the stable in NZ, before training there on her own account since mid-2024.
A lightly raced individual, who has benefitted from Gerard applying a patient approach, New Recruit ran on solidly through the line after finishing third in a trial on the course in January, and stripped in wonderful order for his first-up assignment.
Ridden by Hayley Hassman (a2), who was also aboard in the trial and has a wonderful record of seven wins from 26 rides for Gerard, New Recruit was headed off for the lead, but travelled well in fifth, presented entering the home straight, and unwound a strong finish to score easily by one and a quarter-lengths.
“He’s a lot more settled this time in,” Gerard said. “He’s always had the ability, but just not the mental maturity to cope, getting hot and sweaty and doing things wrong in track work and at the races.
“I thought he may end up leading, like he did in the trial, but Hayley (Hassman) did the right thing when summing up the pace and he was happy to sit back a bit.
“He’s a horse with a very clean action and when Hayley had him clear he was able to produce a really good bit of acceleration and sustain a strong finish.
“His ability to gallop has never been in question and now that the penny has dropped, he’s handling everything better.
“I’ve always thought he could go through the grades, he’s certainly kicked off on the right note and hopefully he’ll gain confidence and keep measuring up.”
On Soft5 footing, New Recruit ran 1200 metres in 1:11.4, last 600m in 34.9 (approx.), and paid $4.80 & $2.20 on the NZ TAB tote.
Owned by Ballymore Racing NZ Ltd, W N Campbell, A Clarke, D C & P M Dean, F J Hilliar, G M Miles & D R Mitchell, New Recruit was selected by Paul Moroney Bloodstock and bought by Ballymore NZ for $75,000, from the draft of Koru Thoroughbreds, at the Karaka 2023 Book 1 Sale.
By former Valachi Downs sire U.S. Navy Flag (War Front), a triple Group One winner, who now stands at The Oaks Stud, New Recruit is out of Enigmatic, by world renowned sire High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells).
New Recruit is from one of the best families in the New Zealand stud book, known by some as the Moore family, with fourth dam Quibble (Grosvenor), a half-sister to 14-time winner Solveig, each out of Soliloquy (Sobig), the foundation mare for Richard Moore.
New Recruit carries a cross of breed shaping Champion Sire Sadler’s Wells, on the dam side of U.S. Navy Flag and sire line of High Chaparral.
New Recruit was strapped by Dalpat Singh.
Footnote: The stable went close to a double at the meeting, when Papparazzi (3 g Savabeel – English Rose, by Makfi), who had quickened to win a trial on the course in January, did well off a wide trip to arrest the lead mid-straight, only to be claimed (half-head) on the line.
Ridden by George Rooke, it was a big first-up performance, at just his fourth start, and indicated a horse with good potential.