Four-year-old mare Oceanex (NZ) (Ocean Park) has added another string to her bow, showing her staying prowess when winning the Listed Port Adelaide Cup (2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday for Caulfield trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr).
A Group Two winner of the Matriarch Stakes (2000m) in the spring, the daughter of Ocean Park was tried beyond 2040m for the first time and was a comfortable winner in the hands of Zac Spain.
“She had to do a little bit of work in the first 1200m and had no cover throughout,” Price said. “I thought it was a good display of stamina at her first try at 2500m.”
The Victorian conditioners will now ponder the options for the talented mare, who has won close to A$500,000 in prizemoney.
“The race that is staring her in the face when she comes home from Adelaide is the Andrew Ramsden (Listed, 2800m), which every decent staying horse will want to contest because it’s a win and you’re in race for the Melbourne Cup (Gr.1, 3200m).
“Serious consideration will have to be given to that race, but I’ll get her home and have a look.
“There is a picture forming on her that she can race for another season and she’s developing a nice little page. I think consideration should be given to providing her with a proper opportunity to become a nice stayer.
“She’s just at her top now. Maybe she goes to Queensland and has a run up there and then she could possibly winter up there and have a spell.
“There are a few things to consider but the pleasing thing is that at her first try at 2500m she was quite strong.”
Bred by Tony Rider’s Milan Park in Cambridge, Oceanex was purchased by Price at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale for $70,000.
The attractive bay races for a syndicate in the colours of Price’s former Racing Manager Luke Wilkinson.
Out of the Group Two-placed Danasinga mare Danex (NZ), Oceanex is a half-sister to Group Three winner Amexed (NZ) (Pentire), who won a Listed Caloundra Cup (2400), as well as stakes performed siblings Marcellina (NZ) (Savabeel) and Digital Fortress (NZ) (Savabeel).
Price admitted he was relying on the mare’s New Zealand origins to help answer the staying question.
“I didn’t want to look at the pedigree before I made a decision to go to 2500m in case I didn’t like what I saw,” Price said.
“I just said to myself, ‘Oh well, she’s from New Zealand, of course she’ll stay’.”
New Zealand-bred mare Seabrook (NZ) (Hinchinbrook) finished runner-up to Shrouded In Mist (Exceed and Excel) in the Gr.2 Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m) in the following race for the Caulfield trainers, with Price pleased with the run.
“She had every chance and she is holding her form,” he said
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