Thursday, 22 December 2011:
Debutante
Hoss Amor upstaged her more fancied rivals to land a last-stride win in the $200,000 Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic on Thursday.
The victory sent her rocketing into contention for next month's rich Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast, firming from $41 in to $9 with TAB Sportsbet.
Trained by John O'Shea,
Hoss Amor is majority owned by Champion Thoroughbreds but the TAB's Number One Club also has a stake in the filly.
She is named after racing personality Andrew Bensley, whose nickname is Hoss.
"I love having people like this in the horse," O'Shea said.
"I'm a country boy too so having people like this in the horse, mums and dads, it's great."
O'Shea thought highly enough of
Hoss Amor to convince his brother to take a share so he was relieved when she delivered at her first start.
"I put my brother into it - there's a bit of pressure. It's his first horse," O'Shea said.
"She's got a good bit of ability.
"She got a bit lost at her first trial and she still got a bit lost up the running.
"She's got a lovely action and she beat a fair field. It's pretty exciting."
Ridden by Brenton Avdulla,
Hoss Amor camped on the back of the leaders but looked to be in a race for second when Hidden Warrior scooted clear in the straight.
But the filly unleashed a strong finish to nab him on the line with Dear Demi third.
"I thought the second horse had us on the corner but once I put a couple round her tail she hit the line strong," Avdulla said.
"John was confident all week she would run well.
"I don't get a lot of rides for him but when I do they are always up to the mark. He has done a fabulous job."
Bensley wasn't at Wyong to cheer
Hoss Amor home but he didn't waste any time congratulating O'Shea.
"They'd just gone over the line and it was him (Bensley) on the line," O'Shea said.
The Magic Millions Wyong 3YO Stakes (1200m) went to the David Pfieffer-trained Safusa who led throughout for a dominant win.
Pfieffer won the three-year-old feature at the Gold Coast last year with Graceful Anna and looks set to again play a strong hand in next year's renewal.
