Hasselhoof to go around in the Parramatta Cup

Connection of the highly performed Kiwi galloper Hasselhoof are expecting a better showing when he lines up in the Listed $125,000 Pacific Hoists Parramatta Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Beyond Thankful, above, is one three Chris Waller runners to take on Kiwi Hasselhoof in the Parramatta Cup at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Beyond Thankful, above, is one three Chris Waller runners to take on Kiwi Hasselhoof in the Parramatta Cup at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs trained Hasselhoof suffered his first defeat from seven starts when a plugging fourth to Bull Point in the $85,000 Gardenia Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on February 6.

At his previous start the Tavistock four year old recorded his sixth win on the trot in the Group 2 NZ$100,000 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie, New Zealand, on January 1, giving the co-trainers the confidence to head to Sydney for the Autumn Carnival.

Hasselhoof has drawn barrier seven in the eleven horse Parramatta Cup field and will be ridden again by leading Kiwi jockey Matthew Cameron who has been aboard the gelding in all his seven race starts.

Cameron was in doubt to make another appearance at the Sydney Autumn Carnival after suffering a spectacular fall at Matamata last Sunday, but luckily he escaped with only minor injuries and was given the all clear to hop back into the saddle after passing a concussion test on Tuesday.

“My face broke the fall and I was out for a couple of minutes, but I came to in the ambulance and remembered what I was there for,” Cameron told NZ Racing News.

“I’m lucky that nothing is broken and it’s good to come out unscathed.”

And Cameron expects Hasselhoof to perform better in the Parrramatta Cup with that run at Randwick under his belt.

“He obviously needed that run the other day … he was a bit above himself,” Cameron said.

“By all accounts he is thriving and I think the real Hasselhoof will turn up on the weekend.”

Cco-trainers Logan and Gibbs will wait until after the Parrramatta Cup to map a plan for the remainder of the Autumn and the four year old has been nominated for the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) and the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick during ‘The Championships’.

The Chris Waller trained pair of Libran and Beyond Thankful will be up against Hasselhoof again after finishing third and fifth in the Gardenia Handicap and the master trainer will also saddle up Loophole.

Beyond Thankful with Hugh Bowman to ride, has drawn the best of the Waller trio at barrier three, with Loophole with Kerrin McEvoy to jump from eight while Libran with Brenton Avdulla on board to jump from the outside gate.

Parrramatta Cup field: 1 Beyond Thankful (3), 2 Cafe Society (1), 3 Hasselhoof (7), 4 Arab Dawn (10), 5 Loophole (8), 6 Hippopus (4), 7 Libran (11), 8 Allergic (9), 9 Alpha Beat (5), 10 Landlocked (6), 11 Kellyville Flyer (2).

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.