Spy Major sizzles on debut at Oamaru

By Jonny Turner 

Trainer Daniel Reardon isn’t nearly in the same kind of rush his brilliant debut winner Spy Major is.

The three-year-old reeled off sizzling closing sectionals as he sped to a decisive victory for driver Sam Thornley.

Spy Major started at red-hot odds after impressing in his Canterbury trials before crossing the provincial border for his debut at Oamaru yesterday.

While he clearly has a highly talented horse on his hands, Reardon is determined to take a cautious approach with him.

“He is just a lovely horse, he is a natural and just wants to run.”

“The thinking is we are going to try the tactic of looking after him because I think he is going to be a nice four-year-old.”

“We have had a bit of a programme mapped out even before today.”

“He will go to the (New Zealand) Cup Trials, then to Ashburton and on to Cup Week.”

“We are thinking of going to Nelson after that because the trainer deserves a bit of a holiday.”

Reardon races Spy Major with his breeders Robert and Christine Davis.

Spy Major is the 31st winner in New Zealand for his sire Sky Major.

“He goes back to Jim Dalgety’s breed.”

“It is a good old family, but there hasn’t been a lot from it lately.”

“Hopefully he can be a nice horse for Robert and Christine.”

Reardon works alongside trainer Ross Houghton at West Melton.

“Ross was meant to drive the horse at the trials but he couldn’t make it so Sam jumped on and he said after the trial he wouldn’t be getting off.”

Both trainers were based at Swannanoa but made the move to West Melton recently where he trains next door to Ken Barron.

“We are at Blair Orange’s and we walk the horses down the aisle to Ken’s track.”

“I work for Ross and do a few of my own.”

“We’ve been there a few months now and Ross has had some really good results.”

“It is great because we love what we do and we love our horses."

Many horses that run final splits like 53.70sec (800m) and 26.90 (400m) on debut are the subject of immediate buyer interest.

Surprisingly though that wasn’t the case in the hours after Spy Major’s win.

It didn’t worry Reardon though, who describes the pacer as the best horse he has trained.

“He would be the best I have had but he has a way to go to catch Fernz Goldy’s seven wins.”

Oamaru has been a happy hunting ground for Reardon this year.

He’s produced two winners in 2026 from just nine starts, with Flying For Me running to victory at the North Otago track in March.