Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Patience, a diminishing commodity in the modern environment, remains a key marker for Raumati couple Christopher and Susanna Grace, two of New Zealand racing’s longest serving and most successful participants.
No better example is the latest star of the Graces’ home-bred racing string, the Andrew Forsman-trained Hinekaha (Savabeel), who completed a hat-trick with her all-the-way win in Saturday’s Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa.
Midway through last season, the daughter of Savabeel was being touted as an Oaks or Derby prospect, but even after winning the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) in early February, the decision was made to scrap any such plans.
“Susanna and I don’t go to the races so much these days, but we were getting very nervous about putting her under too much pressure, so we drove all the way up to New Plymouth to see for ourselves,” Grace said.
“She duly won the race, but my observation to Andrew was that while she looked alright in front, she was getting very light behind. We decided that she could have one more run, but if she didn’t perform that would be it for the season.”
That race was the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie, and the decision was easy when Hinekaha finished well out of the placings and she went to the paddock at the Graces’ Surrey Farm property in Bulls.
“That has been the making of her,” Grace said. “She developed and put on 50 kilos under the care of our very capable farm managers David and Kylie McKinnon, and she was a different horse when she went back to Andrew.”
A first-up fifth was followed by wins over 1400m in Rating 75 company at Ellerslie and Waverley, which prompted the decision to step up to last Saturday’s weight-for-age fillies and mares’ feature.
“In my lifetime not often have I seen a Rating 80s horse beat those in the 100s at weight-for-age, so after discussing the best tactics in the small field it was the sensible thing to do, go to the front and take away the chance of the race becoming a sprint home.
“The name Hinekaha is Maori for strong woman and knowing our mare could stay, we decided we had to be brave.
“Craig (Grylls, jockey) got it exactly right and it was very satisfying for all of us to see her win like that.”
Those involved in Hinekaha include Mount Maunganui retirees Michael and Priscilla Hurley, friends from the Graces’ farming days in Hunterville.
“We used to race our horses by ourselves but a few years ago we decided to keep a 50 percent interest and take in others to race them with.
“Others include a team of younger Wairarapa people who have had 15 wins from 31 starts with three horses of ours, and now it’s wonderful to have the Hurleys in this mare.”
Virtually all bar the Graces’ dual Australian Group One winner Shillelagh and others related to her are connected to the first horse Grace bought as a young man at the National Yearling Sale at Trentham.
Named Hakawai, she died before Grace was able to breed from her, so he deferred to the same source and bought a close relation from Australian trainer Colin Hayes.
From that Without Fear mare, Clearness, the Graces founded a dynasty and in the case of Hinekaha, a particularly strong line with her dam, the Fastnet Rock mare Hinerangi, and second dam Hinemoa are also stakes winners.
The Graces’ gold, green and white colours have also been carried by close relations such as Gr.2 Wellington Cup (2400m) winner Graphic, Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) winner Tullaroan and Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) winner Reputation.
While the Graces are keenly anticipating further feature racing with Hinekaha, they will also be involved as vendors at next month’s Centenary National Yearling Sale with two lots.
Catalogued close together as Lots 443 and 453 in the Little Avondale Stud draft on the second day of Book 1, they are colts by Proisir from Galway and by Savabeel from Glimpse.
“We sell all our boys when we can and sell the fillies if we don’t need them,” Grace said. “We couldn’t afford to race all the horses we breed.”
