Kathy O’Hara’s all-time favourite horse Single Gaze has been able to add another feature race win to her record by taking out the Group 2 $200,000 Pages Event Equipment Hire P J O’Shea Stakes (2200m) at Doomben today.
Single Gaze, above, was able to add another feature race win to record by taking out the P J O’Shea Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Steve Hart.
Single Gaze was coming off a last start sixth to Sense Of Occasion in the Group 1 $650,000 Hardy Brothers Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on May 20 on a heavy track and back on top of the ground today, the Nick Olive trained mare was able to produce her best in a small field of five.
“She is my all-time favourite,” O’Hara said shortly after pulling up on Single Gaze.
“She just leaves it all on the race track.”
“She travelled up really strongly today.”
O’Hara said that the pre-race plan was to sit off the pace and when Hugh Bowman elected to take Preferment to the front in the run down the straight the first time, she was happy to sit at his rump.
Bowman had to start pushing Preferment ($4.60) along approaching the home turn and when he faded at the top of the straight, Single Gaze ($3.30 favourite) was left in front and went on to record her fifth win.
Runner up Rudy ($6) ran his honest race, coming from last with High Church ($4.20) battling on for third.
The Chris Waller trained Preferment, who was having his last race start today, was unable to go out a winner and tired in the straight to finish fourth and tragically Cylinder Beach broke down badly as he was challenging for the lead at the 250m and was instantly pulled up by jockey Jim Byrne.
Single Haze has been a top line performer for Olive all throughout her career to date and the Canberra trainer said that she tries her heart out every time she goes to the races.
“She just has a heart of a tiger and we have stuck with Kathy and she has done a great job on her,” Olive said.
“Just really proud of her.”
P J O’Shea Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | SINGLE GAZE | Nick Olive | Ms Kathy O’Hara | – | 2 | 57kg | $3.30F |
| 2 | 4 | RUDY | Helen Page | Tim Clark | 1.3L | 5 | 59kg | $6 |
| 3 | 3 | HIGH CHURCH (IRE) | Darren Weir | Damian Lane | 1.7L | 3 | 59kg | $4.20 |
| 4 | 1 | PREFERMENT (NZ) | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 5.5L | 1 | 59kg | $4.60 |
| FF | 2 | CYLINDER BEACH (NZ) | Desleigh Forster | Jim Byrne | – | 4 | 59kg | $7 |
