Dubai: Darley Australia home-bred Hauraki failed narrowly to give Godolphin a first victory in the Group 1 Australian Derby at a wet Royal Randwick racecourse on Monday.
The three-year-old Reset colt, who had been favoured by trainer John O’Shea as one of the exciting prospects of his stable Warwick Farm stable in Sydney, finished ¾ length behind Mongolian Khan with Volkstok’n’ barrel a short-head back in third.
Jockey James McDonald had his hands full - trying to organise Hauraki who raced a trifle too keenly towards the rear of the 10-strong field before moving up to mid-division from where he appeared to have every chance in a closely-contested race.
Although he threw down a strong challenge in the run to the judge, he could not rein in the winner who gifted top New Zealand jockey Opie Bosson with the biggest win of his career.
O’Shea, who was appointed Godolphin’s principal trainer in Australia last May, said: “Hauraki travelled a bit too keenly in the run which compromised his finish. To win the Derby, we needed him to be relaxed throughout the run.
“Instead, he raced pretty keenly for the whole of the race which ultimately was his undoing.
“It was a tough run but overall he gave an outstanding performance.”
Hauraki was bidding for a rapid Group race double having posted a convincing victory in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes over ten furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on March 28. Prior to that, he had won the Group 2 Cellarbrations Phar Lap Stakes over an extended seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on March 14, having trailed home last of 12 in the seven-furlong Group Three C S Hayes Stakes at Flemington on February 21.
The exciting colt began his career with a pair of victories over seven furlongs, comfortably taking a Randwick handicap on November 8 and readily winning a maiden at Kembla Grange on October 25.
Meanwhile, big-race jockey Glen Boss won a sixth Doncaster Mile (G1), one of the highlights of the Derby festival aboard the three-year-old Kermadec who only got into the $3million (Dh11 million) contest following two late scratchings.
Another Godolphin trainee, Matilija, finished third in the Group 3 Dilmah Tea P. J. Bell Stakes over 1,200m also on the Royal Randwick card.
