Turbo charged Pinseeker wins Central Otago Cup

In a spectacular burst of speed with 800 metres to run, the Jonny Cox trained and driven Pinseeker (Downbytheseaside) was a brilliant winner in today’s $40,000 G3 Ranfurly Transport Central Otago Cup at Omakau.

Wag Star led early but Alta Meteor pressured him with a lap to run before taking over the top.

“Tim (Williams) and Craig (Ferguson) went hammer and tongs up the straight and they were always going to come back to us. My fella had been good ‘til then and with the easing of the pace he got up on the nickel a bit. I thought, ‘we’re in a straight line so we’ll make our move now,” Cox said.

Cox who was sitting out the back with Pinseeker suspected the front runners might be looking for a breather, so he pushed the turbo button and in the space of eighty metres he had Pinseeker in front.

“He let rip around them and dropped the bit when he got to the front which was pleasing. Sometimes he can just carry on with it if you light him up.”

Turning in, Pinseeker had a good buffer on the chasing bunch.

“Johnny Dunn was scrubbing his one up round the bend. I thought he might slow a few down so I thought we’d make a break for it now.”

At the line Pinseeker was two and a quarter lengths in front of Harrison John with Franco Sinatra making ground late for third, one and a quarter lengths away.

PINSEEKER REPLAY

“He’s back,” part owner Iain Wilson said.

The winning time was 2-28.0.

“There were a few owners there and sponsors and friends and family. It was a pretty good feeling,” Cox said.

Bred by Woodlands Stud, Pinseeker was purchased from Gavelhouse for $4,000 and is owned by Iain Wilson, Peter Brinsdon, Jason Wood, Bernie McKone, Phil Stephens, Logan Boersma and Gary May.

“It’s Bernie and Phil’s first horse. Logan has been into thoroughbreds and I think it might be his first pacer. Gary May has also come over from the dark side. He was into thoroughbreds as well.”

Pinseeker has now won eight races and banked over a quarter of a million dollars.

Cox’s late grandfather Harry Cox won the Central Otago Cup in 1973 with Micheal Campbell and again in 1979 with Eden Guy which was driven by Jonny’s father John.

Pinseeker will look to extend his marvellous short course record when he heads to Nelson in ten days time to race in the Nelson Pine Industries Nelson Classic over 1609 metres.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink