The Godolphin Team chalked up a feature winning double with Hauraki taking out the Group 2 $175,000 Tattersalls Club Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick today.
Hauraki scores first up win in the Tramway Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Godolphin’s Australian trainer John O’Shea and the stables number one rider James McDonald had a quick return to the winner’s stall following Hartnell’s win forty minutes earlier in the Group 2 $250,000 Tattersalls Club Chelmsford Stakes (1600m).
McDonald settled Hauraki ($13) back in the field before bringing the five year old to the middle of the track in the straight to overhaul the leaders to record a three quarters of a length win on the heavy track over the top weight Le Romain ($4.40).
Kerrin McEvoy stuck to the inside fence on Le Romain who tried hard and was able to hold out Dibayani ($4 favourite) who wound up in third place after racing on the pace.
Hauraki was having his first run back after performing well during the Queensland Winter Carnival without finding the winner’s stall.
Hauraki ran second in both the Group 2 $358,000 All-New Jaguar F-Pace A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast and in the Group 1 $650,000 Hardy Brothers Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben and today’s win was well deserved.
“He is a horse that John (O’Shea) holds in high regard and has won very well today and now he can go for a Group 1 weight for age and then onto the Epsom,” said John Fergusson, Godolphin’s racing manager and chief executive.
“James (McDonald) is riding out of his skin. James came to Eurpoe in our Summer, your Winter and he really performed like the world class rider that his is.”
Hauraki will now head to the weight for age Group 1 $500,000 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in a fortnight and then into the Group 1 $1m Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 1.
