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Full Noise by SN
Nolans dine out on Dee Oysters debut win
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • May 7th, 2026 1:40 pm
Dee Oyster winning at Ellerslie on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Promising two-year-old Dee Oyster’s debut win in the MyRacehorse 1100 at Ellerslie on Wednesday was a true family affair for the Nolans, and they are hopeful of a bright future with the son of Blue Point.
Trained by Sophia Nolan and her sister Hanna Orting, Dee Oyster was purchased by Nolan under her Lilywhites Lodge banner out of Seaton Park’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale draft for $30,000, and she races him in partnership with her husband, Derek Nolan, and father-in-law.
Dee Oyster has shown his trainers plenty early on, which was reinforced by jockey Masa Hashizume, who rode him in several track gallops as well as his trial at Avondale last month where he placed over 800m.
Buoyed by Hashizume’s feedback, Nolan and Orting elected to send him to the Ellerslie on Wednesday where he vindicated their early assessment when running out a one length victor over Phillyjean after sitting parked outside the Samantha Logan-trained filly throughout.
“Originally we were going to give him another trial but then this race came up,” Sophia Nolan said. “Masa really liked him at the trials and I think he was pretty keen to be on him, so that gave us a bit of confidence to come here and he got the job done.”
Hashizume was impressed with Dee Oyster’s performance, and he believes he has a bright future instore.
”I galloped him before the trial and he gave me a really good feel,” Hashizume said. “Derek really rated this horse and I galloped him on Saturday as well at Puke (Pukekohe) and I was really confident today.
“The horse was giving his all, he was still keen in front, but he is a professional and proper horse.”
Sophia Nolan was rapt with the victory and said she is now weighing up whether to push on into winter with her gelding or put him aside in favour of some loftier spring targets.
“We will bring him home and see how he comes through it and then we will make a plan from there, whether it is bigger three-year-old targets or some of the winter series,” she said.
