Memories of a jumping legend were rekindled at Te Rapa on Saturday when Ima Wonder (NZ) (Eighth Wonder) carried the famous colours of Ken and Ann Browne to a comprehensive victory in the Bridges Insurance Services Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4800m).
Those chocolate brown colours have been worn by some of the best jumpers this country has produced including Crown Star (NZ) (Crown Lease), Sydney Jones (NZ) (Sir Sydney), Ascona (NZ) (Grosvenor) and Smart Hunter (NZ) (Ivory Hunter) with many ridden to victory by the doyenne of jumps racing, the late Ken Browne.
With the passing of Browne in 2006, his wife Ann continued the successful training path they had forged as a partnership over many years with success in her own right, although in recent years she has passed the training of her jumpers to other stables, remaining an avid supporter and attendee at race meetings around the country.
Peter and Jessica Brosnan were given the task of preparing Ima Wonder who had shown ability over the hurdles including a third placing in last year’s Great Northern Hurdle (4200m).
Given her chance at the bigger fences in her current preparation, Ima Wonder won on steeplechase debut at Te Aroha before mixing hurdling and chasing with moderate success in her recent runs including finishing fifth in last Sunday’s Rotorua BOP Hunt Cup (3500m).
Fitted by that run, the nine-year-old travelled sweetly for rider Kylan Wiles throughout and assumed control of the pace with just on a lap to run on Saturday. She measured her fences beautifully throughout and cruised clear at the 800m before running out a comfortable four length winner from Kentucky Boy (NZ) (Jakkalberry), Call Me Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry) and Sound Of Silence (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) who chased hard over the closing stages.
Brosnan cut an emotional figure as he accepted congratulations on the victory, the 13th in the race for horses trained or owned by Browne.
“That was just great and I’m so proud of that horse,” Brosnan said.
“Mrs Browne is so good to train for and it’s great to see young riders like Kylan coming through in this sport.
“It was such an honour when Mrs Browne asked us to train this horse, I just couldn’t believe she had entrusted us with her horse.
“We’ve just had so much fun along with a few disappointments, but I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Brosnan also revealed a tilt at next month’s Ben & Ryan Foote Racing Great Northern Steeplechase (6500m) on 15 September was the next goal for the mare.
“I think she can be competitive, but we won’t run if the ground is too dry as she just loves it wet,” he said.
“If we stay to the plan the Northern is the target and it would be a fairytale end.”
Ima Wonder is a daughter of the Browne bred and raced mare Ima Heroine (NZ) (Herocity) who took out the same race back in 2011 before capturing the Great Northern Steeplechase at her next start that season.
