Commander Ben wins Timaru Winter Cup

By Mike Love 

Doyleston trainer Kevin Fairbairn got a well deserved win with Commander Ben in yesterday’s $20,000 Canterbury Environmental Solutions Winter Cup (HCP Pace) at Phar Lap Raceway.

Driven by Hayden Douglas, Commander Ben took full advantage of his front-line draw, skipping away initially, before securing the trail behind  pacemaker Henry Winkler. 

After a change of lead at the 1500m, Commander Ben and Douglas found themselves three back on the fence. Once the field started to break up on the final bend, Douglas got him out of a pocket to charge strongly to the line to win by three-quarters-of-a-length from runner up Foliejon Star.

That was Commander Ben's ninth win, having last won at Roxburgh in 2025, and has won around $160,000 in stakes. 

Owner Wendy Nordqvist said the win came on an emotional day for everyone involved.

“It was a very special win because we lost Got You Covered six months ago to the day after a track accident at home. So it was a very emotional day,” Nordqvist reflected.

“There were a couple of tears shed, and I'm not usually like that.” 

Nordqvist came very close to winning this race in 2024.

“Two years ago we ran second with Got You Covered and third with Commander Ben when Lester won it.”

“So, we are rapt. He’s pretty honest without having a lot of luck.”

“We were quite confident with him as long as he went away with them.” 

“On the bend he was getting pushed back and we thought gee, he’s got a bit of ground to make up.”

Nordqvist races several horses currently, and looks to have another busy weekend of racing coming up. 

“He’ll go to the Ashburton Cup next week.” 

“Joe (Commander Joe) will probably go Friday night to Addington, and Holly Highlander will also go on Friday. While Ben and Sophie (Sofia Rose) on Sunday at Ashburton.”

Nordqvist and Fairbairn connected around seven years ago, with Nordqvist making some life changes to free up time to assist in working her own horses. 

“It’s a team effort. I was working at the (Ashburton) Guardian (newspaper), but I’ve decided to help Kev. Kev does an awesome job. We try to be really attentive to detail, and with the smaller team it kind of works. We have 14 horses in work so that's plenty for us.” 

“Anj Mugford comes and drives fast work for us Monday to Friday - she’s excellent.”

Nordqvist is philosophical with her approach to racing, as an owner, while keeping optimistic.

“You’ve got to have a bit of luck sometimes. He’d (Commander Ben) been running excellent times in his races but still just getting eighths and ninths. Times aren't everything, but it shows there is such a fine line between the good ones and battlers.”

The win gave junior driver Hayden Douglas his 15th of the season, and their first at Phar Lap Raceway, while continuing to create a rapport with Nordqvist and Fairbairn. 

“We’ve stuck with Hayden. He’s keen and has been driving well. We are really happy with him and we are pleased to get a win with him.”

Commander Ben will likely keep racing over the next few weeks and months. 

“We will probably keep him going over the winter. It’s taken a little bit of time to get him right.” 

Nordqvist is no stranger to the winners circle, with long time family involvement with some very good types, and the story looks set to continue.

“I’ve been around horses all of my life. My parents, the Boags, had the ‘Unique’ horses and my brother had Dizzy Miss Lizzy and Better Than Lizzy.

“I got a Bulldog Hanover at the sales, out of Havtime. He’s a really lovely horse. Also bred some horses out of Shanika that are being broken in by Stephen Boyd. I have a two-year-old sister to Commander Joe that buzzes up quite well.”