Kent showing them how it’s done across the Tasman
Group One-winning Australian trainer Mick Kent made his mark at Trentham on Saturday.
The Cranbourne-based conditioner is the part-owner of the Ocean Park filly Miss Valencia, who was successful in the Crombie Lockwood NZ Ltd 2YO Maiden (1000m).
She raced on the pace for jockey Samantha Wynne and, after taking control 300m from home, she rounded off strongly to win at her second appearance after a solid debut third last month.
“She’s a filly we’ve got a lot of time for and a typical Ocean Park, she’s going to be much better at three,” said Hollie Wynyard, who trains with her partner Johno Benner.
“She went really well on debut and she’s got quite a long sprint so we told Sam to get her into the open and rolling.
“She could to go to the paddock now, but we’ll just wait and see how she comes through this race first.”
Miss Valencia was purchased out of Phoenix Park’s draft at Karaka in 2017 by Cambridge bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo for $47,500. She is raced by Kent with Waikato Stud’s bloodstock manager Kerrie Cox and her husband Rob.
She is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Pastrana and the family the Gr.1 T. J. Smith Stakes (1600m) winner Sizzling, now standing at Newgate Farm in New South Wales.
Miss Valencia was chased home by the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards-trained Byzantine, who went close to giving jockey Shafiq Rusof a perfect start to his second riding spell in New Zealand.
He has returned after a successful stint in Singapore where he was twice crowned champion apprentice.
Byzantine made the pace and kicked on bravely while another debutante in Allan Sharrock’s London Express made ground strongly from the back for third.