The John O’Shea-trained Waihaha Falls showed he is in for a lucrative campaign when he produced a strong performance over 1200m at Randwick on Saturday to successfully resume from a five-month break.
Bred and raced by Waikato Stud with Guy and Bridget Lowry, the four-year-old son of Sacred Falls jumped well for apprentice Reece Jones to sit one off the fence in fourth spot.
Waihaha Falls peeled out three wide at the top of the straight and after hitting the front 200 metres from home, cleared out to score by more than three lengths.
“We left him really fresh and we had been so happy with his two trials,” stable representative Tom Charlton said.
“We’ve taken our time with him and that was a pretty deep race and he was very impressive. It was really pleasing and a beautiful ride by Reece.”
Waihaha Falls has now won three of his eight starts with a record he looks sure to advance once he gets out over more ground.
He is a son of Think Mink, who was a winner in New Zealand from Lowry’s stable and was subsequently twice successful for O’Shea.
By Scaredee Cat, she is from the immediate family of the Listed WATC St Leger winner Crumpet O’Reilly, whose sister Zumanity finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2400m).
O’Shea also sent out smart four-year-old mare Comme Bella Fille to make it back to back victories this campaign when a comfortable winner over 1600m in BenchMark 78 grade.
Originally trained by Catherine Cameron in New Zealand, Comme Bella Fille was purchased by Australian syndicators OTI on the recommendation of bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo following a strong maiden win at Matamata, where the vanquished included subsequent Gr.1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) winner Mr Brightside.
Comme Bella Fille has now won five of 14 starts with a further four placings and has amassed A$164,366 in prizemoney.
Bred by Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison, Comme Bella Fille is a graduate of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale.
