Classic-winning three-year-old Pier is likely to campaign in Australia some time next autumn, but it’s not clear what stable he’ll be racing from.
Pier confirmed his class on Saturday with a narrow but brave victory in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, fighting strongly up the straight despite being trapped three-wide in transit to beat Desert Lightning by a half-head.
It was the biggest moment in the career of Matamata trainer Darryn Weatherley, who bred Pier along with his wife Lou and their close friend Barry Wright. The trio own Pier along with prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir, who bought a 25 percent share in the horse prior to his three-year-old debut in September.
Kheir’s share was bought with a possible Australian autumn campaign in mind, and it has been suggested the horse could join Chris Waller’s team in Australia for that, but Weatherley said no such decision had been made.
“Whether I take him myself or hand him over to Chris Waller, that bridge has yet to be crossed,” said Weatherley, who trains Pier along with his daughter Briar.
“It’s just about working out the logistics of it all. It can be difficult if you’ve got 18 horses in work at home to be away with another one given the size of our team. That’s the only reason I would consider sending the horse to Chris, but I could just as easily send Briar over there and pop over for raceday.
“Ozzie Kheir is happy to do whatever we choose. If I decide to keep the horse and take him, he’s happy with that.”
In the meantime, Pier will head home by float from Christchurch to Matamata this week and be turned out for a brief spell.
Weatherley said Pier might be brought back for a brief summer campaign, aimed at races such as the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) on New Year’s Day. His autumn campaign is not certain but he could be aimed at a race like the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) in Sydney rather than the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).
“I believe he’ll get further than a mile, because he’s a racehorse and he can relax, but whether we target the Derby I’m not too sure. I’m not sure if he’ll have a little bit too much brilliance for 2400m.”
The 2000 Guineas was the first Group One triumph in racing for Weatherley, 50, who began his career in racing as a jockey.
“I was apprenticed to Jim Gibbs at Matamata at the same time as Mickey Coleman, Reese Jones, and Matthew Williamson, and all those guys got a photo on the wall with a Group One victory and I never managed to – not that I was jealous at all, but it irked me a bit,” he said.
“I rode a couple of placings in Group One races, though I didn’t get super close to winning one, and it’s nice to get one of my own now.”
Once his apprenticeship was finished, Weatherley moved to the Central Districts, where he became the stable rider for top Levin trainer Grant Searle.
“Grant told me I was a day late arriving for Our Maizcay because he trialled the day before I arrived, and the rest is history,” he said.
“But I did win a race or two on Quality Gold. I rode him when he won on the last day of the Hastings spring meet, which convinced Grant to put him on a plane to Australia and he won the Moir Stakes on Cox Plate day with Shane Dye in the saddle.”
Weatherley stopped riding in the mid-2000s and moved back to his home town of Matamata, where he focused on pre-training horses for some years before turning to race training.
Last season he scored his first black type success when Mali Ston won the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
He said it was fantastic that Briar, who became a training partner in August, was able to enjoy the success with the family as well.
“She’s very passionate about it. She never misses a beat, has a great rapport with the owners, and the horses probably get treated better than what I do. She deserves the success 100 percent,” he said.
Mali Ston broke his pedal bone late last season and is unlikely to race again but Weatherley said he was excited by the team he has.
He said Classic Beethoven should be very competitive in a Rating 65 1300m event on Tuesday at Pukekohe, while Ess Vee Are, who is likely to run next on Saturday week in a Rating 75 2100m event, is a horse he thought could become a good stayer.
Weatherley also has a lot of time for Arby, who was fourth on debut at Te Rapa in August before being set back by a foot injury.
“Earlier in the piece when he and Pier were paddock mates and they both won trials, I thought I couldn’t separate the two, so I’m really excited about him as we get onto good tracks.”
