Rotorua-based horseman Pomare has stable star Ocean Billy (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) in the G1 Tarzino Trophy at Hastings, one of two more New Zealand starts before crossing the Tasman to join Chris Waller’s operation.
Ocean Billy underlined his staying ability earlier this year when he cruised to victory over 3200 metres in the G1 Auckland Cup to prompt upcoming tilts at the G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Melbourne Cup.
While the 6-year-old is long on stamina, he is the exception to the rule as far as his speedy background goes and Pomare’s involvement with the family goes back to a trip in 1988 to the now defunct New Zealand Bloodstock Waikato Yearling Sale.
Bill Pomare
He had gone there with no intention of putting his hand in his pocket, but came away with a Beaufort Sea (USA) filly that set him back NZ$9500. She was named Flying Beau (NZ), who was to become the great granddam of Ocean Billy.
“Back in those days that was a lot of money, especially for someone who didn’t have much. I didn’t go there to buy a horse, just as a passenger really,” Pomare said.
“Back in those days that was a lot of money, especially for someone who didn’t have much. I didn’t go there to buy a horse, just as a passenger really.” – Bill Pomare
“When I opened the catalogue I saw this filly was out of Flying Idyll and my wife, who has since passed, used to work for Grant Searle and rode Flying Idyll. She used to rave on what a beautiful filly she was.
“I went and had a look at Flying Beau and bought her, that was the beginning of it all.”
Flying Beau won as a 2-year-old and placed in the G2 Matamata Breeders’ S. and all six of her foals to race were successful and included Flying Free (NZ) (Heroicity), whose nine wins featured the Listed Rotorua S.
Flying Free’s brood included Cool Storm (NZ) (One Cool Cat {USA}), who won three races for Pomare, including the Listed Newmarket H. With Kirkwall Thoroughbreds’ Justine Sclater, sister of Rich Hill Stud’s John Thompson, he bred Ocean Billy.
Ocean Billy failed to meet his NZ$20,000 reserve when offered at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale and is now raced by Pomare with his wife Suzi and friend Peter Ludgate.
Between Ocean Billy and the first visit to Ocean Park (NZ), Cool Storm was at Novara Park and delivered a son and a daughter to Sweynesse and in 2020 a colt by Staphanos (Jpn).
“I loaned the mare to them for several seasons and then I grabbed her back,” Pomare said.
“I’ve got a beautiful colt out of the mare that arrived on Father’s Day, a brother to Ocean Billy and the mare’s going back to Ocean Park. I really want to get a filly.
“I’ve got a beautiful colt out of the mare that arrived on Father’s Day, a brother to Ocean Billy and the mare’s going back to Ocean Park.” – Bill Pomare
“All the family has had natural speed. This guy, Ocean Billy, is really the only one that settles in his races, all the others have known only one speed and that’s full on.”
Ocean Billy, who also won last season’s G3 Waikato Cup, opened his current campaign in the G2 Foxbridge Plate and dashed home late for fifth.
Ocean Billy (NZ) after winning the G1 Auckland Cup
“That was a very pleasing run and he’s come up well. He was fine the next day and it didn’t take anything out of him,” Pomare said. “He really only sprinted the length of the straight so it was like a serious track gallop for him.”
Safely through Saturday, Ocean Billy will either run in the G1 Windsor Park Plate on October 2 or a day earlier at Te Rapa.
“He’ll either go back to Hastings for the mile or the other alternative is to race him on the Friday before that at Te Rapa in an open 2000 metre handicap,” Pomare said.
“He’s then booked to fly to Australia the following Wednesday. The Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup are the only two races we are going for and then he’ll come home.”
