Peach of a ride gets promising filly home at Riccarton

A typically heady David Walsh ride was a key ingredient in the victory of promising two-year-old filly Peach Cove who repelled the northern raiders in Saturday’s Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton.

Walsh settled the daughter of Buffalo Man towards the rear of a strung out field in the early stages of the contest before picking a careful path up the long Riccarton home straight as he sent her out after the leaders.

Just as Waverley visitor Spiker was being hailed the winner Walsh asked his filly for the supreme effort and she responded nicely to overhaul Spiker and snatch the victory by a long neck. Cambridge visitor Sofia Rosa put in an eye catching late burst to grab third, a run that was made even more meritorious after she suffered a serious check shortly after the start from race favourite Jacquetta who faded to finish seventh after racing handy to the pace.

Co-trainer Matt Brown was delighted with the win although he did admit to some concerns about the track prior to the race.

“She went nicely at her last run when she ran third here and we thought the step up to 1200 metres was definitely going to suit her,” he said.

“I was just a little concerned about how she would handle the track as her previous runs had been on good ground but she seemed to get through it alright today.

“She is a very strong filly so I guess it can only be onwards and upwards from here.”

Peach Cove is raced by Brown and his wife Mandy along with the filly’s breeders Les Donaldson and his daughter Nicci and son-in-law Dirk Oberholster, who stand her sire Buffalo Man at their Whangarei based Totara Park Stud. She becomes the second stakes winner for her sire after Brighton was successful in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie last month.

Riccarton Park has proved to be a successful hunting ground for the progeny of Buffalo Man with three-year-old gelding Hurunui the current 800 metre track record holder at the venue.