Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr will saddle up Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking) for the first time in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The New Zealand-bred son of Shocking has been in Brisbane for just under two weeks and Price has been relying on the help of former trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy to prepare the gelding for his first Group One assignment.
Hezashocka will be lining up for start number four on Saturday and enters the Queensland Derby off a last start win in the Gr.2 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on April 24.
It was not long after that victory that Hezashocka was purchased by OTI Racing and transferred into the care of Price and Kent Jr.
“Emma has been with the horse which has been a nice transition and I have not attempted to change too much with him,” Price said.
Hezashocka came up with barrier 14 in Tuesday’s draw and will be ridden by Mark Zahra.
“I would say that he’s not a stop-and-start sort of horse and he races like he looks, and he looks like a long, rangy, typical New Zealand staying horse,” Price said.
“He’s by Shocking and a good clean-winded horse. It’s a busy Derby with plenty of chances.
“I think he’ll run top half-dozen. His lack of racing experience may be against him and he’s had a lot of change to come from New Zealand and then come up here to run in the Derby.
“But he’s settled in well and is a nice horse.
“I would expect if we can go forward from the barrier, get a nice run and Zahra gets him right, he’ll be belting away at the finish.
“He’s going to be a nice staying four-year-old and depending on how he goes in the Derby we’ll make a decision on his future after that.”
