Danjuro puts Didham partnership on the board
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.
Waverley is also in the stable’s sights this Sunday, where Shameless Star contests the NZB Mega Maiden Series (1200m), Can Do lines up in the O’Keefe Ultra Scan Maiden (1400m), and Felucca resumes in the J Swap Contractors (1200m).
Shameless Star showed promise as a two-year-old last season, finishing fourth in both of her first two starts to earn a shot at the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). She resumed with a close and strong-finishing second in a 1200m maiden race at Wanganui on August 30.
Shameless Star was a $55,000 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2024 and is Karaka Millions eligible, putting her in line for a $25,000 bonus if she wins Sunday’s Mega Maidens race - $20,000 for the owners and $5,000 for the trainers.
“She ran a really good race first-up,” Didham said. “She didn’t do much for a week or so after that race, but then we started to pick things up with her again and we’re really happy with how she’s been going. Hopefully we can get that Mega Maiden bonus for her owners.”
Can Do was a last-start placegetter on the Awapuni synthetic track and will wear blinkers for the first time on Sunday.
“It was a solid effort last time and we’re hoping putting the hood on might improve him a little bit more,” Didham said. “His work on Tuesday morning was very good.”
Felucca has been off the scene since February but has pleased her trainers with two trial wins leading into her return to racing this weekend.
“I’m quite surprised that she’s opened as a $19 chance,” Didham said. “Her trials have been very impressive. She beat Bold Belle in the most recent one, and that horse went well in the open sprint at Trentham last weekend. We think she can run a good race fresh.”
