After a meritorious sixth placing in the Group 2 Thorndon Mile at Trentham in January, a trip south for last month’s Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight-For-Age at Wingatui was considered before opting for a far less challenging assignment closer to his rating band.
“The Wingatui race was tempting but at rating of 79 he wouldn’t have been very well placed under weight-for-age conditions and we decided on the benchmark race up at Hawera.
“We were looking for a soft kill and that’s exactly how it turned out. As well as giving him a confidence boost, winning that race got him out of that danger zone where horses in the high 70s, low 80s can find themselves.
“That took his rating to 83 and even though he was up against some decent types at Tauranga, he’s just kept improving and we felt he deserved his chance at a race like that.”
While well satisfied with how McNab handled Omega Boy, who earned another 12 rating points to go to 95, Didham has opted for the experience of Group One centurion Opie Bosson at Trentham.
“Sam rode him well, no complaints at all, he’s a very promising young jockey. But while we’ve got the chance to put Opie on, why wouldn’t we?
“What the horse does will determine our plans for next season and with Opie on him, he’ll be able to give us a full appraisal of how he manages the extra distance.”
While not comparing Omega Boy to triple Group One winner Waitaki, Didham is well aware that after returning to form in last year’s Japan Trophy at 1600m, the Proisir gelding readily made the step up to a middle-distance in the Awapuni Gold Cup.
That enabled trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott to firm up new season plans and they were rewarded when Waitak won the second and third legs of the spring triple crown, the Group 1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) and Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m).
“I’m not suggesting our horse is in the same league as Waitak, but the route they took with him this time last year is another good reason why it also makes sense for Omega Boy,” Didham said.
– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
