OUR Waikiki Beach remains unbeaten after 16 runs and a large majority of harness followers expect the three year old to make it 17 on Saturday night at Newcastle when he resumes from a short break. The son of Somebeachsomewhere last raced in the New South Wales Derby and after winning that narrowly was taken home to New Zealand to prepare for another raid on the Australian racing riches.
Should Our Waikiki Beach win on Saturday night he will join Glenerrol, Lombo La Fe Fe and Auckland Reactor with 17 successive victories and will only be one behind Radiant Venture, Garry’s Advice, Take A Moment and I Can Doosit. Courage Under Fire won 24 in a row before he tasted defeat while San Simeon holds the record with 29 straight wins.
Owner Trevor Casey will make the trip from New Zealand to Newcastle this Saturday but is not feeling any nerves in the lead up to Our Waikiki Beach’s resumption.
“I don’t get nervous that he is going to lose because all horses get beaten. It is going to happen one night so instead of dreading that moment I’m going to enjoy having him,” Casey said.
“He is back in New South Wales to target the Alabar Breeders Challenge and then Mark (Purdon) is keen to take him down to Victoria so he can have a crack at the Breeders Crown.”
Our Waikiki Beach has had two trials in New Zealand and was beaten in both of them however the defeats are of little concern to Casey.
“He ran third behind Locharburn in his first trial at Addington and then he went to Rangiora and he went head and head with (My) MacKenzie all the way down the straight and she just pipped him.”
“Mark is happy with where the horse is at so that gives me confidence and I’m just hoping I can find my way to the track on Saturday night because I have never been there before.”
Casey would have liked to see Our Waikiki Beach compete in the Jewels but understands why the gelding wasn’t invited.
“I think the horse would have been a drawcard for the day itself but I understand why he wasn’t invited. He hasn’t won the prizemoney at home to earn a start, there has been a bit of a fuss made of it here in New Zealand but I accept the final decision.
“It wouldn’t have been ideal for the horse anyway because he would have had to fly back and forth between New Zealand and Australia which is something he can probably do without.”
Our Waikiki Beach will compete in race six at Newcastle on Saturday night.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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