Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
By Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
The father-son training partnership of Peter and Trent Didham recorded their first win when Danjuro scored a tough victory in Friday’s The Tele Otaki Handicap (2100m).
A fourth generation of trainers was added to the Didham dynasty when 27-year-old Trent joined his father in partnership earlier this month, and the pair made a promising start with two seconds, a fourth and a fifth from their first six starters.
The breakthrough came with Danjuro in Friday’s $50,000 open handicap at Otaki. Ridden by Kavish Chowdhoory, the talented five-year-old settled in third behind Revo and Jack Morrison.
That pair began to feel the pinch coming down the side of the track and faded right out to finish second-last and last. Chowdhoory got Danjuro rolling and took command, rounding the home turn with a clear lead.
Royal Flower, King Khan and Swingit Our Way all tried hard to reel him in down the straight, but Danjuro kept finding and held on to beat King Khan by a long head.
It was a 99th career training success for Peter Didham, and a highly satisfying first for Trent.
“It feels good to get that first win, and it was a good tough effort by the horse,” he said. “He’s always had the ability and he’s starting to put things together now. His attitude and things like that have really picked up this time in. Hopefully he can go on with it.
“We’re working towards the Waverley Cup (2200m) in a few weeks as his next target, and then we’ll go from there.”
The Waverley Cup will be run for a $50,000 stake on October 19.
Bred by Cambridge Hunt Ltd, Danjuro is by Saxon Warrior out of Kabuki. He was purchased by Didham Racing out of Curraghmore's 2022 Book 1 draft at Karaka. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
