A talented son of Westbury Stud resident Redwood provided Stephen Marsh with a memorable victory in Saturday’s Taumarunui Gold Cup.
Raced by breeder Gerry Harvey, the powerful grey Hula Beat landed the feature staying contest over 2200 metres to hand the Cambridge trainer with his 100th winner of the season.
“It does mean a lot as it was always going to be a tough battle and I’m rapt for the team and everyone involved,” Marsh said.
“It’s just nice to go out with this for the season as I would hate to end on 99 wins.”
Hula Beat settled well back in the field before the five-year-old improved under apprentice Ace Lawson-Carroll and held a strong gallop to triumph in a driving finish.
It continued the gelding’s sterling run of form this preparation with earlier victories at Matamata and Te Aroha and he is now a five-time winner.
“He loves the wetter tracks, and he loves Te Rapa and going left-handed although he has won going right-handed at Te Aroha, so we will just keep him going through the grades.”
Hula Beat is the last foal of the Zabeel mare Limbea whose half-brother I’ve Got Rhythm was a stakes winner in South Africa and the family of the two-time New Zealand Group 1 heroine Love Dance.