Waitak (NZ) (Proisir), the stunning winner of the Group 1 Railway Stakes on New Year’s Day, has been confirmed as the slot runner for New Zealand’s Trackside Media and host club Perth Racing in The Quokka in Perth on April 20.
Trackside Media has partnered with Perth Racing for their slot in the A$5 million feature for the next three years. This partnership will help promote the very best of New Zealand racing in Western Australia and enhance growth of The Quokka into the important New Zealand market.
Trackside is the media and broadcast arm of TAB in New Zealand, which Entain Australia and New Zealand operates under a 25-year strategic partnering agreement.
The 4-year-old Waitak, who went from last to first in the Pukekohe straight to win January’s Railway, has the turn of foot to make a real impact in The Quokka at Ascot Racecourse next month.
Cameron Rodger, the Managing Director – New Zealand for Entain Australia and New Zealand, said the team was excited to take a New Zealand-bred sprinter to Perth to take on the best short-course stars on offer in The Quokka.
“The sprint he showed to win the Railway, particularly over the last 200 metres, blew us away,” Rodger says.
“Waitak brings many strong qualities to the Trackside Media slot. He’s by Proisir, New Zealand’s leading sire last season, and is trained by the outstanding team at Wexford Stables in Matamata, led by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott.
“The tempo of these sprint races can often suit horses that are proven over more than the sprint
distance, and Waitak’s record shows he can handle that.”
Perth Racing Chief Executive James Oldring welcomed the confirmation of Waitak as the Trackside Media runner.
“It’s fantastic to have New Zealand representation in Perth for The Quokka and no doubt Waitak’s presence will generate plenty of interest from Kiwi racing fans. We look forward to welcoming him and his team to Ascot in April,” James Oldring said.
The Wexford Stables team of O’Sullivan and Scott are enthusiastic about partnering with Trackside Media for the slot in the 1200-metre dash, won last year by ex-pat Kiwi trainer Bjorn Baker with Overpass.
“This is a great opportunity to take one of our stable stars to uncharted territories for us. While we’ve campaigned horses in the eastern states of Australia, we can’t wait to take Waitak to Perth to have a red-hot go at the Australians,” Lance O’Sullivan said.
Trackside also had a slot in The Everest in 2023, with I Wish I Win finishing a luckless second. The association with The Everest helped build the profile and awareness of that race in New Zealand and similar benefits are expected to flow through for The Quokka.
Waitak is a $31 chance in The Quokka market with New Zealand’s TAB
