Jim's fifth tilt at the trophy

Jim Pender and horse Ohope Prince. Tracy Hardy.

Tauranga horse trainer Jim Pender has been four times lucky – training four winning horses to claim the Windsor Park Stud Japan NZ International Trophy at Tauranga Racecourse.

Tomorrow – at The Bayleys International Raceday's feature race – he's hoping for another Japan Cup win with Ohope Prince.

It's a horse with a strong breeding history at the Greerton track – but Jim admits the field is tough, and there's no secret to success.

Jim reckons he just sticks to his usual routine and formula. 'And it's fingers crossed and you hope for the best.”

But Ohope Prince has made an impression on him. 'Tauranga-based businessman Neil Craig and myself actually bred Ohope Prince – and we raced his mother Ginzapearl.

'Ginzapearl won about seven races and Kiwi champion jockey Lance O'Sullivan's last raceday as a jockey was at Tauranga.

'His last ride was on Ginzapearl – and he won it. So there's a little bit of Tauranga history relating to Ohope Prince's breeding.”

So far Ohope Prince has won eight races for Jim – including three at Tauranga.

'He likes Tauranga, he likes that right-handed way round the track – the only thing against us is I've had to consolidate his preparation.

'He probably likes the sting out of the track – so to trial him on a real firm track in February, I sort of backed off.

'So we've had a consolidated preparation where he's had a trial then two weeks later he raced at Te Rapa [last Saturday] and came fourth in an open 1200m sprint.

'Tomorrow he's going straight into the mile. Ideally, I'd like to try him race two weeks apart but unfortunately due to the weather – if you go early, you go on a really hard track and risk the chance of jarring him up.

'So it's a juggling exercise – but he came through his race on Saturday well and I was happy with the result.”

Jim admits he's been a bit lucky in the Japan Cup – part of tomorrow's full day of thoroughbred racing action at Greerton.

'I've had seven runners in that cup and I've had four winners and two fourths.

'One year Cassabella Lane won it and Our Star Pupil came fourth. The next year it rained –and Our Star Pupil won and Cassabella Lane came fourth.

He's only had one runner that didn't finish. 'A little mare named Ella Sierra.”

And with his previous wins has Jim felt his horse had an edge, a good chance to win?

'No – all of the horses in the race present a pretty level playing filed. It's just luck of the draw and how you get the run and how you get the breaks.”

And Jim says it's a pretty tough field for tomorrow's Japan Cup.

'The draws have a bit of bearing on it and the weather. Rain is forecast, but you can't do much about the weather gods.”

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