Win marks return of Chilean jockey

Press, 6 September 1989, Page 47

Win marks return of Chilean jockey

Tito Poblete must have felt there was some significance in Real Hawk’s win in the DB Ealing Maiden at Ashburton yesterday — the Chilean horseman’s first win in New Zealand since returning to settle here a few months ago. It was at the Ashburton spring meeting of 1983 that Poblete rode his last winner in this country when Carey Street was successful for the stable of Ned Thistoll.

Poblete had emigrated from Chile in 1979 and struck immediate success.

Two of the best horses he rode in that era, Little Brown Jug and Magellan, both won the Grigg Classic at Ashburton and Firpo won the 1982 Ashburton Cup in the hands of the South American rider. Poblete rode with some success on his return to his native land, but has decided New Zealand is a better all-round proposition. He has had but a handful of rides since returning and revived memories of his flair for the unexpected with his tactics on Real Hawk.

Poblete swept up three wide from the 1200 m in a tactic which may have brought criticism had the War Hawk five-year-old faded under pressure. But he rallied in fine style to the gentle persuasion of the Poblete hands winning narrowly but stylishly. The result was a change of luck for trainer Michael Pitman, who paid $lO,OOO for Real Hawk as a two-year-old after the horse had won a 400 m trial in the North Island. Real Hawk is a half brother to Real Pronto