A year ago Luke McCarthy thought Our Waikiki Beach has special qualities.
Now he is sure.
“He’s a freak. He’s got gears. He’s the best horse I’ve driven for sure,” McCarthy said.
“There was something special about him at two, but he’s gone to another level.
“It might not be until he comes up against Lazarus when we’ll see him beaten for the first time. Even then, Lazarus will have to be every bit as good as they say.”
Our Waikiki Beach made it 18 wins from as many starts at Menangle last Saturday night.
It might only have been a $12,720 C3-C5 race, but the win left McCarthy shaking his head in amazement.
“I got attacked in front through the middle stages and I reckon a lesser horse wouldn’t have been able to keep going,” he said.
“At the top of the straight a top mare like Cyclone Kate had enjoyed the cold sit on me, came off to challenge and came quickly.
“But this guy is a freak so he was able to change gears again and hold on really strongly.
“Look at his last three quarters … amazing.”
Our Waikiki Beach was attacked by rank outsider Happyever Laughter through the middle stages, which started with a 28.5sec second split of the last mile.
He then went 27.8sec from the 800-400m and still ripped home in 26.8sec to hold-off Cyclone Kate and win by 1.1m in a 1min57.4sec mile rate for 2300m.
McCarthy aid Courage Under Fire’s NZ record 24-race winning streak was definitely achievable.
Our Waikiki Beach should be untroubled to post his 19th win in a heat of a NSW Breeders Challenge on Thursday week.
He will also be long odds-on to win a semi-final and final of the NSW Breeders Challenge.
That would put him on 21 wins headed into the Breeders Crown, in which he will need to contest a heat, semi and final.
So, if he keeps winning, Our Waikiki Beach could be trying to equal Courage Under Fire’s record in the Breeders Crown final.
“Wouldn’t that be awesome for the game,” McCarthy said.
“Shadow Sax has come back really well this season … imagine them locking horns in that final.”
In other news, McCarthy has ruled-out a hit-and-run Melbourne trip this week with Bling It On.
“We looked at the 4&5YO Championship, but he’s not quite fit enough just yet,” he said. “He’s better staying here for another race or two before the Golden Mile then the Len Smith Mile,” McCarthy said.
Bling It On had no racing room when a first-up eighth at Menangle last Saturday night.
“He’s come back a bit on the big side now he’s a five-year-old bull. He needs racing to reach his peak and we’ve got time before the big ones,” he said.
McCarthy said the Purdon/Rasmussen filly My Mackenzie remained right on target for the NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO fillies’ series despite being beaten at Menangle last Saturday night.
“She did a good job. She had to come wide on the last bend and I don’t think the 2300m suited her as well as the mile the previous run,” he said.
“It was a hard-run race. They went a 1min55.3sec mile and she was against older horses.
“Dropping back to the mile and against her own age and sex she is going to be very hard to beat.”
By Adam Hamilton