Never Look Back defeats stars in Hawke’s Bay Hurdle
Gail Temperton’s emerging talent Never Look Back conquered two of the stars in New Zealand jumps racing when taking out Sunday’s Te Whangai Romneys Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3000m) at Woodville.
A winner of four flat races, Never Look Back had been a consummate professional in his jumping debut in mid-May, but had mixed his jumping in the Manawatu Hurdles (2500m) and Waikato Hurdle (3200m), albeit still finishing fifth in the latter.
The market was a slight reflection of those results, with the son of Shocking drifting from $5.50 to $8 with betting sites, while all the focus was narrowed in on dual-Grand National winner Berry The Cash, and Happy Star, who was making a much-anticipated return to jumping after two years off the scene.
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Jumping from an inside draw, Never Look Back negotiated the first fence beautifully under Emily Farr, who allowed him to settle into a rhythm in midfield, while the big-striding Taika found the early lead. After being slow away, Saint Bernard was over-racing and found himself in front, setting a decent pace.
The pressure really dialled up at the 800m and Happy Star cruised into contention, hitting the lead turning for home and giving his rivals something to catch. Berry The Cash was making up ground through the field, but the big danger was Never Look Back, who came level with Happy Star over the last and had the extra edge late to score by three quarters of a length.
While all honours went to the Foxton galloper, Happy Star and Berry The Cash certainly lost no admirers, with the latter also closing strongly into third.
Temperton bred and races Never Look Back alongside her partner Stanley Alexander and well-known racing identity Christopher Grace, and she was quietly confident coming into the feature.
“He’s a wonderful horse, Stan and I bred him and we raced his mother, so it feels super,” she said.
“I actually thought he could do that, and the reason I thought he could do it was because he’s won four races on the flat, and I thought he was the fastest horse in the race. But when they began, they were going so fast, so my confidence went out the window.
“It came back on the turn, and I had told Emily, on this track, you get going at the 600, and she did exactly that. She was wonderful.”
Farr, who is narrowing in on her 100th winning ride, was delighted with the result and credited Temperton’s pre-race tactics.
“I thought he was a lot bigger horse than he actually is,” she said.
“Gail said to jump out and hold your position, and just see how you go. I was thinking there would be a lot of pace on, there were a few frontrunners, so I thought I would sit here and ride him how I find him. She said to get going at the 600 and as long as I’m thereabouts, he should come home.
“To be fair, she was absolutely right, and he was just superb.”
The Waikato hoop was having her first ride aboard Never Look Back, and noted how much he’d improved through recent runs.
“One thing I noticed from his replays was that he chucked his head up a little bit and got a bit fractious, but he must’ve learnt so much in the last couple of runs,” she said.
“He was easy today.”
Never Look Back was the third foal out of a two-win Johar mare Pirentete, who has been a success in the broodmare paddock. Alongside the $150,000 earner, she has produced stakes performer Tamahine, three-race winner Knickerless, and Jolting, a winner of four races in Australian racing.
Her most recent progeny to salute on the track was First Love, a trial winner on home soil before being sold to Hong Kong.
