The Darrell Hollinshead-trained Super Sid (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) picked off some low-hanging fruit when landing the Wrightson/Vetmed 2100 at Ellerslie on Sunday in emphatic fashion.
The son of Rip Van Winkle is a three-quarter brother to Te Akau Shark and raced just worse than midfield before powering over the top of his rivals when presented widest by Darren Danis in the Rating 74 Benchmark.
Super Sid finished fifth in the Nathans Memorial (2200m) at Ellerslie eight days earlier and Hollinshead resisted the temptation to run the promising stayer in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m), opting for the lesser target on the undercard.
“We probably should have won the Nathans last time, but we got into a bit of skirmish about 350 out,” Hollinshead said.
“If he had won it, we were thinking about paying the late fee for the Auckland Cup.
“I think next year the owners will have a lot of fun with him, all going well. He’s strengthened up and is settling a little bit better every race so it’s good.”
Hollinshead, who co-bred the stayer with father Peter, has watched him go full circle after originally selling Super Sid as a yearling.
He was again sold as a Ready To Run horse and joined Te Akau Racing where he was a winner for Jamie Richards and placed on two occasions from 10 starts.
“We bought him off gavelhouse.com and Jamie Richards said to us they originally thought he could have been as good as Te Akau Shark, but he wouldn’t settle for them,” Hollinshead said.
“He beat Loire and Levante in his first trial but just wouldn’t settle. Michelle Strawbridge and Rachel Cave have done a great job with him at home and the penny is starting to drop.”
Hollinshead said the family needed plenty of patience. “I think next year the Waikato Cup (Gr.3, 2400m) and Manawatu Cup (Gr.3, 2300m) will be his go. It was probably a blessing he didn’t go to the Auckland Cup because they go a little bit slower and he may have over raced again.”