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A stress-free outing at Friday’s Avondale trials has Byerley Park trainer Ohceedee convinced his stakes placed juvenile Ohceedee is ready for an ambitious three-year-old campaign that has a Group One goal as the main target.
The rangy Power gelding finished off nicely to run second in an open 1000 metre heat as he prepares for his campaign opener at Te Rapa this coming weekend. The run thrilled Cole who hadn’t expected his charge to be happy in the testing track conditions that prevailed on the day.
“I didn’t think he would really handle that type of ground so all I was looking for was a tidy effort where he did things under his own steam,” he said.“As it turned out he missed away a little but then got going and ran home nicely to be beaten a short margin without being asked for a serious effort.
“Alysha (Collett) came back in and confirmed he didn’t handle the track at all but she said he felt fantastic and had strengthened up nicely from his two-year-old campaign.”Ohceedee was placed twice from four starts as a juvenile including an eye-catching performance to finish third behind the highly rated Haussmann in the Listed Great Northern Foal Stakes.
“We put him away after his last run at Ellerslie as he had done plenty for his first preparation,” advised Cole.“We initially had thoughts about the Karaka Million but when he didn’t qualify we decided to take things slowly with his three-year-old year in mind.
“Since then the plan has been to try and get him to the 2000 Guineas as he appeals as the ideal type for the big, roomy Riccarton track.“He will go to Te Rapa for the three-year-old 1100 metre race and depending on how he goes he will then run again at Ruakaka a fortnight later.
“The Hawkes Bay Guineas would be his first big test if he is going as well as we think he can and then on to Riccarton after that.”Although in just his third full season as a trainer, Group One success is no stranger to Cole who prepared Dukedom to score in the 2016 Levin Classic at Trentham. The Bachelor Duke gelding was subsequently sold to Hong Kong with Cole now looking to add further elite level success from his Byerley Park base.
“We’ve got seventeen in work now with a really nice mix of two and three-year-olds along with a couple of older horses,” he said.“Beyond Dispute is one of our three-year-olds that won a race last season and looks ready to progress from that. He went nicely in his trial on Friday and is getting ready for a race at Ruakaka as well.
“Creative Genius is another who trialled well without being asked for a serious effort. He will be going to Ruakaka on the 29th of August and then to the last day at Hawkes Bay.“Like most trainers we are pretty excited about what lies ahead over the next few months and I can’t wait to get some of our young ones on the track and racing.”