Wait makes Classic win all the sweeter

28th Nov 2011

Waikato Times

They had to wait for more than a decade, but trainer Roydon Bergerson and rider Robbie Hannam finally have their Levin Classic.

Distill’s spectacular victory in the feature race at Otaki yesterday was due reward after Bergerson and Hannam had finished a luckless second with Domero (NZ) (Lord Ballina) in the 1999 Levin (Bayer) Classic.

“Domero was a certainty beaten,” said Bergerson, who also had the memories of the 1997 Bayer, when Old Tawny (NZ) (Start Board) finished fourth “after missing the kick by 10 lengths.”

As a result he found Friday’s win, his first at Group One level, particularly satisfying. “It’s great to have finally won the race.”

Distill (NZ) was at long odds and had been well beaten in his two previous starts this spring, but Bergerson had never wavered in his belief that the horse would be competitive on a good track.

“I knew he had it in him, he just needed a good track. I always knew he was a good horse. But the New Zealand Derby is his race, and I have thought that all along.”

Distill (NZ) was originally raced by his breeders Windsor Park Stud, but the Volksraad (Green Desert) gelding was sold to a Hong Kong owner, Y K Wong, after making a winning debut at two.

Distill (NZ) is out of the stakes placed Casual Lies (Lear Fan) mare Fair Tipsy (NZ) making him a half-brother to dual stakes winner Mr Tipsy (NZ) (Montjeu).

Distill (NZ) ran third in the Taranaki Classic at his second start and fourth in the Group One Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie at his third start, before failing in the Sires’ Produce Stakes at Awapuni.

He tackled the Hawke’s Bay Guineas first-up this term and struck a heavy track in the Wellington Guineas at his next attempt.

However, Bergerson has always been focusing on the Levin classic.

Bergerson has never met Distill’s owner but his agent, Mick Preston, told Begerson to concentrate on peaking the horse for Friday’s race, and the trainer followed his orders explicitly.

Bergerson, 50, has only seven horses in work at Awapuni, but has been training for most of his adult life and has rarely been without a capable or two.

He has had periods training at Hawera, Riccarton, Hastings and Awapuni, as well as a stint as a private trainer for Arthur Williams.

He also managed Graeme Rogerson’s Awapuni stables and spent a period in partnership with Rogerson, at Hamilton, before returning to Palmerston North last year.

“I’ve been a bit of a gypsy.”

Whether Distill (NZ) remains in New Zealand for the derby has yet to be decieded.

“It might be that the owner wants to send him to Hong Kong,” Bergerson said.

Hannam, 45, was recording his first Group One win since Greene Street (NZ) (Zabeel) won the Whakanui Stakes at Te Rapa in 2003.

“It’s been a long time between drinks,” said Hannam, who has ridden Distill (NZ) in all of his races and trials.

Distill (NZ) settled well back, before improving wide on the turn and won going away by a length and a quarter.

“We were further back than we intended, but it’s no use putting a horse where he doesn’t want to be,” Hannam said.

“He was flat early and second last, but I knew he would travel better the further the race went.  What’s he going to do when he gets over a trip?”

Randall (NZ) (Howbaddouwantit), who had to be used up early from a wide barrier, fought bravely for second, ahead of NZ$1.60 favourite Antonio Lombardo (NZ) (Pins), who ruined his chances by racing fiercely.

Antonio Lombardo (NZ) lacked a bit of early speed, settling in about eighth place, but began to over-race after 200m, forcing rider Sam Spratt to improve around the field, to the second line.

He led at the top of the straight and, though he kept battling, his earlier exertions told.

Shanghai Bund (NZ) (Bachelor Duke) finished on well for fourth, ahead of Duckworth Lewis (NZ) (Postponed), who ran on late after hitting a flat spot at the 600m.