A long association with a special horse led Hanna Orting to try her hand in the training ranks, and the Auckland horsewoman captured her first win in the role at Ruakaka on Wednesday.
Based out of Pukekohe, Orting took out her training license this season and entered the winner’s circle with just her second runner, a lightly-tried four-year-old mare in Hadid.
A daughter of Charm Spirit, Hadid was having her sixth race-day start and first under Orting, and the mare took control of The Homestead Bar and Bistro (1200m) from the outset, kicking boldly in the straight under Kozzi Asano to fend off the race-favourite La Parisienne.
Orting had hoped for a strong showing from the mare, who is a half-sister to Roccia, a winner of five races and a fourth-placegetter in this year’s Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m).
“I thought she would go well because she’s been training well, and Kozzi rode her really well, so a big thank you to him,” she said.
“I’ll try to find another nice race for her, possibly up at Ruakaka with the good tracks.”
Hadid was bred by Plowman Bloodstock, and was purchased by her owners Tony and Nikki Brown for $4,000 via gavelhouse.com as a yearling in 2021.
“I’m good friends with Tony and Nikki’s daughter Sienna, I used to work with her. I got to know the family and they offered me the horse to train,” Orting said.
“I’m very grateful to them for supporting me as well as the rest of the team at home, it wouldn’t be possible without them.”
Originally hailing from Sweden, Orting began her journey in racing in her homeland, before moving out to New Zealand to work for champion trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, alongside her sister Sophia (Nolan).
“I got into racing back home in Sweden, when I was about 14 or 15 riding trackwork,” Orting said.
“I worked for Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman for eight years, first riding trackwork then I ended up being foreman at the stable. I did a lot of travelling for them, they’ve been very good to me.”
At the Cambridge stable, Orting formed a close bond with Group One winner Aegon, and the talented gelding ended up taking her across the globe to Hong Kong and Australia for major races.
“I looked after Aegon for about four years, and he’s taken me pretty much around the world. He’s done a lot for me,” she said.
“He definitely made me think about having a go at training too, he was a one in a million horse. Hopefully one day I find one like him to train.”
Orting still works closely with Sophia and her husband Derek Nolan, who operate their South Auckland-based facility Lilywhites Lodge, specialising in breaking in, pre-training and Ready To Run Sale drafts.
Nolan has also been successful as a trainer, with her short career highlighted by multiple-stakes performer Master Brutus.
“I lease a few boxes from them, and I train my horses out at their property which works really well. I come into the Pukekohe track if they need a good gallop, but mainly they are worked at home,” Orting said.
“I have three in training at the moment, so hopefully I can get some more horses and then more winners, those are my main goals to start off with.”