The two-year-old gave a professional performance at the first time of asking on
Saturday for trainer and part-owner Gerald Innes to down the favourite Serena
Miss in the Veandercross Juvenile Plate.Hocus Pocus (pictured Race Images P North) was the first raceday representative for the Little Avondale Stud-based Per Incanto (Italian for 'by magic'), who has proved popular with breeders since his retirement to Sam and Catriona Williams' Masterton farm.
A former champion three-year-old sprinter in Italy, the son of the internationally-successful Street Cry was the Group Three winner of six races and in his first three years he served 320 mares.
"He's such a good-looking horse with a very mature head," Sam Williams said. "He's got great bone and muscle and an amazing temperament."
Out of a half-sister to the Listed Cranbourne Cup winner Starmon, Hocus Pocus
is from the Eight Carat family but was passed in when offered at NZB's South
Island Sale earlier this year."I was keen on her when I was breaking her in they didn't get offered a lot of money so Sam and I agreed on a deal," Innes said.
"She's quite exciting and I'm
very pleased for Little Avondale."
Hocus Pocus was off the early pace and came through strongly on the inner under hands and heels riding from Darryl Bradley to beat Serena Lass by half a neck.
"I thought she would be right there, but they ran off her feet early," Innes said.
"She cornered well when a few of the others didn't. It was a very good ride by Darryl and he's a nice kind rider on the younger ones." – NZ Racing Desk.
Hocus Pocus was off the early pace and came through strongly on the inner under hands and heels riding from Darryl Bradley to beat Serena Lass by half a neck.
"I thought she would be right there, but they ran off her feet early," Innes said.
"She cornered well when a few of the others didn't. It was a very good ride by Darryl and he's a nice kind rider on the younger ones." – NZ Racing Desk.
