Hammer Down firmed in pre-post betting for the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas after a devastating win in the Motorsports Car Sales (1400m) at Rotorua on Saturday.  The Stephen McKee trained gelding will be one of the favourites for the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton Park on November 6.

Hammer Down sprinted straight to the front on Saturday and looked a very promising galloper when slipped some leather in the straight.  He was being eased down by Samantha Spratt on the line but still scored by four lengths.  “He’s a lovely horse but has got a lot to learn,” Spratt said.  “He’s still green and tried to fight me early on.”

Hammer Down (3g O’Reilly – Our Prized Rose by Prized) was a $60,000 purchase from Esker Lodge at the 2009 NZB Select yearling sale.  He races for the Homebush Syndicate which was put together by agent Bruce Perry.

His dam Our Prized Rose won up to a mile at Ellerslie and her immediate family includes the G1 winning O’Reilly gelding Maco’Reilly.

Esker Lodge owner Tom Murtagh is prepping a half-sister to Hammer Down for the upcoming NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on November 16 & 17.  The filly is by Volksraad and has been catalogued as Lot 460.