Multi-talented horseman Chad Ormsby has had a year to remember with four black-type victories to his credit.
The former Group 1-winning jockey runs a boutique Matamata stable and with wife Aliesha Moroney also operates Riverrock Farm, a breaking-in and thoroughbred education centre and successful Ready to Run Sale vendor.
Ormsby has prepared 10 winners this season, with four of them at stakes level, including a memorable Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) victory with Pulchritudinous.
She had also won the Group 2 Lowland Stakes (2000m) before the Trentham Classic while Master Fay claimed the Group 3 Concorde Handicap (1200m) and Outovstock the Group 3 Manawatu Classic (2100m).
“It’s been a really good run for us since January and everything has worked out well,” Ormsby said.
“We’ve had some good horses to deal with and we’re really a trading stable and only race the ones we get left with or that have some issues.”
Pulchritudinous was one example and was bought out of breeder Milan Park’s yearling draft at Karaka for $32,500 before she was passed in when offered as a yearling under the Riverrock banner.
The daughter of Wrote was sold following her Oaks victory in a deal brokered by agent Phill Cataldo with trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Master Fay was a $100,000 purchase out of the Highden Park’s draft at Karaka by Ormsby as a pinhooking prospect but didn’t make it back to the sales ring and was sold to Hong Kong interests following a trio of trial wins.
The son of Deep Field made a successful debut from Caspar Fownes’ stable before he was struck by soundness issues and found his way back to Ormsby’s care.
Master Fay returned to racing three years later to score first-up at Tauranga and then landed the Concorde to earn a trip to Melbourne but finished well back in the Group 1 Newmarket (1200m).
“He’s just come back into work and may have his first run in the Foxbridge Plate (Group 2, 1200m) and then look at Australia,” Ormsby said.
“He’s day-by-day and hopefully he can tick all the boxes and get a run under his belt and head back to Melbourne.”
Meanwhile, Ormsby’s Manawatu Classic winner Outovstock is spelling after a midfield finish in the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m), an effort that didn’t disappoint.
“He ran very much the same sectionals as the winner, but it just wasn’t run to suit him,” he said.
“He’s a pretty fair type and I think you’ll see a better horse next time around.
“He’s still in Australia and we’ve got no plans at this stage. He’s been resting since he ran in Adelaide and we’re weighing up our options.
“He’s in Melbourne and we’re looking at spring options for him and we’ll decide whether he stays over there or he comes home and we prepare him with races back here.”
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