It didn’t take too long for the aptly named now four-year-old New Zealand gelding Hasselhoof to start making his own waves at the coastal town of Ruakaka, 128kilometres North of Auckland.
The horse affectionately known as ‘The Hoof’ hit the ground running as a late three-year-old on June 13 this year, winning over 1400m in excellent time at his home track (Ruakaka).
And if that performance didn’t exactly set tongues wagging, then his effort two weeks later at the same track certainly did. Over 1600m he toyed with his rivals winning by an incredible 11 lengths, running the fastest mile at that track in 19 years, with the steadier of 59 kilograms, and on a Dead 5 rated track.
It was an ultra impressive performance, both statistically and visually, and to come from a midfield position and win by that margin isn’t something you see too often. He treated his rivals with disdain in the home straight, widening the margin with every one of his big strides.
Under the astute care of trainer Donna Logan he was purchased for only $14,000 at the Karaka Sales in early 2011. I spoke to Donna last week about her exciting horse and the initial purchase.
“My close friend Garry Cossey and racing advisor, and my daughter Samantha Logan, both liked him as well,” she said.
“That was on January 30th. On February 1 I bought Lot 1026 Volkstok’n’barrell for $50,000. The Tavistocks stood out, I could have bought more but I don’t have a huge budget. I bought another Tavistock by Madam Forli this year for a bit more and he looks the real deal as well.”
At 16.1 and a half hands tall Hasselhoff is definitely no shrinking violet, and it appears he has a motor to match, in a still growing frame.
“We are still 12 months away from seeing the best of him,” said Logan.
That seems very likely, but he seems to be learning very quickly too judging by his third win at Ruakaka when put to the sword by the smart five-year-old horse El Pescara, who loomed large and threatened to break his winning sequence.
Hasselhoof looked very vulnerable at that stage after hitting the front in the straight, but like all good horses he dug deep when challenged and won comfortably enough in the end by a length and a half, with a significant five lengths to the third place-getter. Of the runner-up Logan said: “El Pescado is a very good horse with Group race wins written all over him.”
Again the time was slick with ‘The Hoof’ stopping the clock at 1.34.84 for the mile, on what was again a Dead 5 rated track. Asked if there was any concern about how he might go on a drier surface Logan replied: “We can’t wait to try him on a slightly firmer track. The Caulfield mile track record is 1.34.28 – Fields Of Omagh. Not to get too excited he’s a fraction off that.”
When asked to compare him to some of other recent stars in the stable such as Rising Romance and Volkstok’n’barrell Logan replied: “At this stage he appears to be showing what’s necessary to become a Group 1 type horse. He lacks experience [but] he is running great times, he has the pedigree to stay, and he is a very exciting prospect.”
Jockey Matt Cameron who has been aboard in all three of his wins thus far, and apparently shares a very similar belief in the horse’s ability.
Given his breeding, it would seem a big two mile race isn’t unrealistic. His grandmother Manawa Belle (Zamazaan) foaled a horse called Manawa King, and some readers may well remember how gallant and unlucky that horse was to be beaten only a neck or so by Makybe Diva in the 2004 Sydney Cup, on a good track.
Manawa King also went on to run a close second in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on a heavy track, so it’s more than likely this horse can also adapt to any track conditions. On the middle distance and staying prospects of Hasselhoof, Logan reasoned: “We think being out of a Zabeel mare he will stay. He could be a real Cups horse. Let’s hope in Melbourne!”
As for the immediate future it would seem he will have at least two more runs, in this his first preparation. Initially he is to attempt a middle distance at his home track, and after that a trip to Melbourne this spring looks a distinct possibility, with the Logans possibly eyeing a 2400m race over the carnival.
“We will take one race at a time. If he performs well over 2100m at Ruakaka we do have a race in mind. We take each race step by step and the ultimate dream is of course the 2016 Melbourne Cup,” Logan said.
No doubt Hasselhoof has a long way to go to reach these heights, and 12 months can be an awful long time in horse racing. But he can’t have been any more impressive to date, he has the breeding and potential to go all the way, and is in the hands of a very capable training establishment, that has the Group 1 runs on the board.
Coincidentally if the 2016 dream were to be realised, it would be 15 years since the last New Zealand horse took home the Melbourne Cup (excepting a New Zealand win this year), also in the hands of a female trainer (Sheila Laxon).
What a sight it would be to see that dream become a reality. I can almost hear the roar from the stands now… Go ‘The Hoof’!
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