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Karaka 2017 graduate Oceanex (NZ) (Ocean Park) sent her value skyrocketing with a determined victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Group 2 TAB Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
Oceanex was a $70,000 purchase from the Premier Sale and is trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr.
She showed bright potential from the start, winning three of her first five races. But she had endured a frustrating run of bad luck through the early part of this spring and had to settle for minor placings at stakes level.
That all changed on Saturday as Jye McNeil brought her with a perfectly timed run, outfinishing her rivals in a blanket finish.
"She's had a really good prep without having a lot of luck, but to nail it in a Group 2 makes her such a valuable broodmare now," Price said. "So all of the bad luck is gone and we landed some good luck – happy days.
"She really deserves this win today."
Oceanex has now had 13 starts for four wins, seven placings and A$411,270 in stakes – more than six times her purchase price at Karaka.
She is part-owned by Luke Wilkinson, a former bloodstock manager for the Price stable.
"It's fantastic to see her get the job done on the big stage," Wilkinson said. "She's got a fantastic pedigree as well – her dam Danex (NZ) (Danasinga) was stakes-placed and has also produced a Group 3 winner (Amexed (NZ) (Pentire).
"This horse was one of the hardest ones to sell. I remember, when I worked with Mick, that she sat on the website for about six months. She cost only 70 grand, but she sat there for a while before all of this ownership group came together.
"Now we've got a wonderful filly who's worth a lot of money. I'd love to breed with her one day, but I might have to save some pennies and buy some of the other owners out."
