Eurokash (NZ) Announces Open Class Arrival in Style

Trainers Greg and Nina Hope had the last laugh when Eurokash (NZ) (Love You) ran to his biggest career win in the $45,000 HR Fisken & Sons Anzac Cup Handicap (2200m) at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

The NZB Standardbred announced himself as a genuine open class threat when powering along the inner to claim victory in an eventful running of the traditional lead up to the Group One Rowe Cup (3200m).

Eurokash was purchased for $35,000 from the Ruby Bloodstock draft at the 2019 National Yearling Sale in Christchurch by Greg Hope.

Hope’s wife and co-trainer, Nina, admitted some might have questioned Eurokash targeting Friday night’s competitive open class feature.

But Eurokash’s triumph showed the judgement of the Hope team was spot on.

“People might have thought we were a bit silly bringing him up, but he has been running great races at home,” Nina Hope told HRNZ.

“He has come back really good, he had a slight injury that curtailed his late three-year-old – early four-year-old career.”

“But he has come back really nice.”

“He is a really good stayer.”

“When it is a truly run race, he is right there with them.”

The Anzac Cup Handicap was a dramatic affair, with two false starts and a third attempt abandoned before the race got underway.

Thankfully Eurokash showed his usually outstanding manners when it counted, which allowed driver John Dunn to land him the perfect run in the trail.

The Hope stable took Eurokash north for feature racing at Alexandra Park to take advantage of the trotter’s talent on right-handed tracks.

The five-year-old will now get the chance to test his stamina in New Zealand’s toughest right-handed challenge, the Group One Rowe Cup (3200m) at Alexandra Park this week.

Eurokash scored his eighth win in Friday night’s Group Two feature for his owners Richard Dellaca, Peter Baken, Wayne Stewart, George Hill, Maxine Garters, John Dellaca, Jason Yang, Greg Hope, The Boyz Syndicate and the estate of the late Allan Pullar.