O'Halloran gets breakthrough with Copartner Pegasus

STEVE O’Halloran was understandably pleased to get a home track breakthrough today ahead of stable flag-bearer Mal Coupe getting closer to a return.

It has taken 11 starts for four-times place-getter Copartner Pegasus to put his name on the winning board for the Hawkesbury trainer – but he did it as a solid $2.15 favourite in the Provincial Maiden Handicap (1500m).

Image Courtesy of Laura Lebedeff

Ridden by Keagan Latham, the Castelvecchio five-year-old comfortably defeated Kembla Grange trainer Theresa Bateup’s Coral Cove ($3.30) and Wyong trainer Sara Ryan’s Red Deer ($11).

A $180,000 Inglis Classic yearling buy in 2023, Copartner Pegasus is raced by Hong Kong-based Magus Equine Limited.

“I hadn’t given up hope of him getting his first win before I gave him a break,” O’Halloran said this evening.

“Copartner Pegasus hasn’t been far away at recent starts, and has been knocking on the door.

“He was just beaten at home on August 11.

“This race came up, and the only doubt was whether he would be able to back up effectively.

“But he bounced out of that last race really well.

“Even though it has taken a while to break through, I’m confident he has further improvement in him.

“Keagan (Latham) feels the same.

“Copartner Pegasus will have a little break now, and hopefully that victory will give him confidence to go on with the job when he comes back.”

Copartner Pegasus was the 38th career winner for O’Halloran, who says he has been a “bit quiet lately” with runners; today’s winner being only his fourth in the first few weeks of the new season.

Many have been spelling, but things are starting to warm up again and he expects to have more runners in the coming weeks.

One of them will certainly be O’Halloran’s six-times winner (the last four in town) Mal Coupe, who will have his second trial in a 900m heat at Rosehill Gardens in the morning.

“Mal Coupe was left a bit flatfooted in a Group trial over 900m on the Rosehill course proper on August 7,” O’Halloran said.

“Kerrin McEvoy rode him and was happy with him, and we’ll do a bit more with him in the morning.

“Once he comes through the trial, I’ll be in a better position to determine when he will go back to the races.”

*Words by John Curtis for hawkesburyraceclub.com.au