NZ teenager lands double for Rob

VISITING New Zealand apprentice Ryan Hurdle had a great day out at the Gold Coast this afternoon, winning back-to-back races for leading Brisbane trainer Rob Heathcote.
Hurdle, 17, the son of former NZ jockey and now trainer Peter Hurdle, won a $5000 New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing scholarship and used it to try his luck in Queensland.
He is currently with Heathcote on a three-month stint and posted his first Australian winner for the stable on Defenceman at Ipswich last month.
Hurdle scored today on Endless Shadow ($4.60) in the Chairman Ray F&M Class 1 Hcp (1200m) and then backed up in the next race to score aboard Vacallo ($3.60) in the Leon Morton C,G&E Class 1 Hcp (1200m).
Vacallo, a half-brother to former top racehorse and now successful stallion Show A Heart, drew right away over the final stages to score by 2-1/4 lengths.
Endless Shadow (pictured) won by a similar margin to add to her first-up win at Doomben on February 29.
Endless Shadow was bred by her owners Stuart and Dr Jennieffer Barr, who recently started to get into thoroughbred breeding as well as raising cattle.
 Endless Shadow is the first filly they bred after mating their broodmare Endless Maize with Dane Shadow.
Story: Neil Archer
Photo: Trackside Photography Pty Ltd