Renowned mudlark Hezashocka will be hoping for anything but sunshine ahead of a busy schedule at the Queensland Winter Carnival over the next month.
The New Zealand-bred horse ran out an impressive victor in last weekend’s Listed Gosford Cup, which was transferred to Newcastle due to heavy rain.
HEZASHOCKA collects a most deserving Win in the Listed Gosford Gold Cup @newcastleraces_ today for @MickPriceRacing and his connections.
— OTI Racing (@OTIRacing) May 11, 2024
A great ride by @SchofieldChad who brought out the very best of Hezashocka.
Congratulations to all involved! 🏆 https://t.co/Bh4OxlAOme
The gelded son of Group 1 winner Shocking managed the Heavy 9 track with ease to capture his maiden Listed triumph and co-trainer Mick Price has revealed a potential busy month ahead for the six-year-old.
“Well, he’s definitely going to the mile-and-a-half races up there … assume the Q22,” said Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr.
“[We’ll] use the Doomben Cup as his gallop into the Premier’s Cup seven days later.
“The Premier’s Cup is where you’ll see him at his best in a mile and-a-half.”
The three races planned are the $1 million Doomben Cup, $200,000 Premier’s Cup and $1.2m Q22 within 20 days, in what will be Hezashocka’s first appearance in Queensland since his maiden run in Australia more than three years ago.
The above is an excerpt from Angus Kilgour’s Racing.com article and can be read in full here.