High hopes for happy Horowhenua horse Hinepara

Hinepara gives the Horowhenua region a chance at winning another Wellington Cup this weekend.

A little mare with a big heart has a chance to bring the Wellington Cup back to Horowhenua tomorrow.

Hinepara might be dwarfed by some of the other runners in the Trentham birdcage for the 150th running of the time-honoured race, but she on not short on stamina and is sure to be running on when lungs are burning.

The Horowhenua region has produced some memorable moments in the history of the $300,000 NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport Wellington Cup.

Foxton horse Castletown achieved legend status in winning the cup in 1991, 1992 and 1994 for trainer Paddy Busuttin. Levin horse Loofah won the big race in 1968 for Buster O’Malley. Mick Preston trained Imaprince from Levin to win in the wet in 1985, while Manakau horse Spiro was a popular winner in 2011.

Hinepara’s trainer Josh Shaw was pleased with her progress leading into what was the biggest race of her career.

“We’re happy. She’s spot on. She’s working well and I can’t fault her. Will she get two miles? We’ll find out, but I don’t see why she wouldn’t,” he said.

Hinepara was the reigning Levin Horse of the Year after winning the Avondale Cup last season. Ever since that win, Shaw had been hoping to give his mare a chance to prove herself over the ultimate staying distance of 3200 metres.

Shaw had been patient with Hinepara, who is now an eight-year-old. He had hoped to contest the Auckland Cup (3200m) last season, but a few niggling injuries interrupted her preparation for the race and a decision was made to pull the pin.

“You need to be one hundred per cent [healthy], so we decided to give her a spell rather than force it,” he said.

“She seems to come right at this time of year, too, and I was happy with the way she found the line at her last start.”

Ashvin Goindasamy is sticking with the ship. He rode Hinepara to win the $120,000 Avondale Cup (Gr.2) last season and had ridden the mare in her three most recent lead-up races, including an eye-catching run for fifth in the Trentham Stakes (2100m) two weeks ago.

Shaw, 38, was in just his sixth season as a trainer and had a small team of 10 horses in work at the Levin. A Wellington Cup win would be a reward for what can be a tough slog at the grass roots of the sport.

He had worn many hats since joining the industry as a youngster, including stints working for other trainers, working on stud farms, on the starting gates on race day, and he had always broken horses for other trainers.

Not blessed with a bottomless cheque book or the pick of the paddock at yearling sales, he was always on the lookout for a horse with potential at the right price, or to lease, and that often meant giving a tried horse a second chance.

Hinepara was leased from her owner, successful breeder Christopher Grace QSM, after showing little as a young filly, and Shaw put together a group of five owners to form a syndicate.

He was grateful for the opportunity to train a filly from the Grace breed, and had always believed Hinepara would get better with maturity and distance, hence the patient approach.

Hinepara was from a family which Grace had bred from with success for generations. By Darci Brahma from the Generous mare Harinui, she is a half-sister to group performer Waikaha and Wairoa Cup winner Rangitata, tracing back to the Zamazaan mare Hinewai, who left 1992 Telegraph Handicap winner Morar.

It’s also the family of Smoking Chimneys, who won a Foxton Cup and was placed second in a Queensland Cup over 3200m, and stakes performers Pinprick and Tullaroan among others, while another pedigree branch leads to horses like sprinter O’Malley’s Boy, Taitanium and Wellington Cup winner Graphic.

Meanwhile, Horowhenua’s hopes for another Wellington Cup don’t end with Hinepara. Foxton trainer David Haworth has veteran galloper Toms entered for the big race, while Ōtaki trainer Wayne Stempa will saddle up Mr Fabulous.

Toms’ odds could be misleading, as he finished at unlucky third to Solsefei in the 2020 Wellington at his only start at the ultimate distance of 3200m. Hinepara and Toms had drawn the adjacent barriers of 14 and 15, while Mr Fabulous had drawn barrier two.

Levin apprentice jockey Ashvin Mudhoo will ride Mr Fabulous, while former Levin jockey Ryan Elliot - who won the Wellington Cup in 2019 aboard Gorbachev - rides Toms.

Race start time is 5.09pm.

- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.