The horse with an unusual name, Neorion Bay Poros, recorded a deserved win in a maiden race at Oamaru yesterday.
Neorion Bay Poros was first past the post at his previous start at Ashburton but was relegated to third for interference.
The 4yr-old settled second last yesterday and made a searching run from the 700m.
He was held up in the run home but jockey Jamie Bullard angled him wide and he came late to win convincingly.
Neorion Bay Poros, who was having his eighth start, is raced by his Riccarton trainer Mike McCann in partnership with Gary Pascoe, a retired seaman from Lyttelton.
McCann bought Neorion Bay Poros as a yearling at the dispersal sale of Slade Farm, Waipara and took Pascoe into the ownership.
Neorion Bay Poros was sold as a weanling by Westbury Stud at its dispersal sale at Karaka in 2005.
"I broke in his younger sister and liked her so I went to have a look at him. I liked his attitude," McCann said.
Pascoe named the horse after a favourite resort he visited on his travels as a seaman.
He travels to the area each year and has just returned from a trip there.
Neorion Bay is a beach on the Greek island of Poros.
The bay is renowned for its eateries and water sports.
Poros comprises two islands connected by a road bridge.
It is an archeological haven which includes the remnants of the Temple of Poseidon and the famed Moni Zoodochou Pigis, an awe-inspiring monastery.
Neorion Bay Poros is a son of Kilimanjaro and European Lady and was bred by retired trainer Trevor McKee, Don and Rochelle McLaren, Don and Wendy Pye and Westbury Stud Ltd.
Westbury Stud bred two foals by Kilimanjaro in partnership with the five owners of the mare.
European Lady, by Carnegie, was trained by McKee but did not win.
Kilimanjaro was sold back to Ireland the season after his mating with European Lady.
He died of a heart attack two weeks into his first breeding season back in Ireland.
McCann said the rising 5yr-old will have one race at the national meeting then be given a break.
"He is still a year away from it and I think he will make a good stayer."
• Sam Spratt is back riding at the Opunake meeting today.
Spratt was stood down after the first race at Whangarei last Saturday.
She had a swollen face, black eye, grazed chin and several bruises after her mount flipped over on top of her just before being loaded into the gates.
Spratt has ridden 110 winners this season, nine behind premiership leader James McDonald.
• A tendon injury may have ended the career of English stayer Bauer, who will miss the Melbourne Cup this year, AP reports.
The 6yr-old suffered a tendon injury in his work.
Bauer beat all but Viewed in the Melbourne Cup last year and trainer Luca Cumani had planned his campaign around the race in November.
"He will be out until next year. It's rather sad because we were looking forward to taking him back to Melbourne," Cumani said.
The fast-finishing Bauer was beaten a nose last year, and it was subsequently found that he had recorded a time one hundredth of a second faster than Viewed.
The discrepancy was explained by the fact that the speed sensing equipment in the saddle of the smaller Bauer crossed the line before that in the saddle of Viewed despite the fact he was beaten a nose.
• Additional information for meetings today:
Avondale JC:
Rider:
Race 5: Go Jimmy Go - C Lammas.
Scratchings:
Race 3: Expectalite.
Race 4: Material Girl.
Race 5: Bindi.
Weather, overcast; track, heavy (11); rail, true.
Opunake RC:
Riders:
Race 5: Tick Tock Turbo - R Hannam.
Scratchings:
Race 6: Sharp Steal.
Race 9: The Jungle Boy, Perfect Excuse.
Weather, fine; track, heavy (10); rail, true.
