Warwick Farm trainer Bryce Heys has a small but in-form team and the roll continued when four-year-old mare Po Kare Kare scored a comfortable victory in Saturday's Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
The victory provided Heys with his first Group success, with the New Zealander having previously trained Spieth to a Listed win in 2016 prior to multiple Group One placings.
Despite entering the race off a rating of just 74, Heys was keen to run Po Kare Kare third-up in the Group Three feature and under a good ride by apprentice Tyler Schiller, the daughter of Savabeel proved an easy winner.
“She came out of her last run super and I was happy to push on to the plan to run here third up,” Heys said.
“I don't really get nervous but I got nervous because of how well she had worked through the early part of the week and I was worried she had left it at home. You never get too far ahead of yourself in this game.”
2023 Group 3 Triscay Stakes Replay – Po Kare Kare
Heys was quick to praise Nash Rawiller for the experienced jockey's assistance behind the scenes.
“He has helped me and my horses and his assistance is probably the reason why we got into the race today,” Heys said.
“Credit to Tyler for a ride that required a lot of patience. We were happy to play it and hope that everyone over-played their hand in terms of getting off the fence, and it worked out.”
Po Kare Kare was purchased out of Curraghmore's 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft by Heys for $100,000 under his Ellerslie Lodge banner.
Out of the winning Encosta de Lago mare Suadela, she hails from the same family as Glint of Silver who won the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Sandown on Saturday, as well as Group Two winner Chain Of Lightning, who added another Group Two placing to her record when third in the Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Sandown on Saturday.
“She is Danehill free and is a very valuable broodmare prospect now,” Heys said.
Po Kare Kare is raced by a group of owners headed by Michael O'Keeffe, Veronica King and Gary Lawler, who have been key supporters of the young trainer.
“This particular ownership group have been with me since day dot. I appreciate their patronage and following my opinion to going in her,” Heys said.
“A shout out to the Ace (O'Keeffe). He is up in Townsville today. They are Montreal based and my dream of training in Sydney wouldn't be possible without them.
“We have got a little team. Three years ago we had nothing, we started again. We have only bought our own horses and it takes time and we give our yearlings plenty of time.
“But everyone has stuck with me and I am just grateful for that and our little team is up and racing, and they're racing well.”