Fitz Blitz (Sunday 17th April 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
Ambitious plans have been set for impressive Winton winner Jerry Fitz.
Whiterig trainer Ross Wilson was forced to race the Live Or Die two year old against older horses today but his next start is likely to be against his own age group.
"I'm pretty sure I'm going up to the Welcome Stakes for the hell of it. There's good money back to fifth and they're not running the times up there any quicker than we are down here at the moment. There are some nice horses up there but it's not going to kill him to start," he said.
Wilson was forced into racing Jerry Fitz against the class one horses as the two year old race carded by the Winton club was scrapped after only seven horses nominated.
"Racing against the C1's is a big step. Robyn's Cullen was in that class for half a season. I'd like to get enough money so we can get to the Jewels. So unless you race against the older horses you're not going to get anything."
Today's win also impressed driver Adam Sanderson.
"He's not a bad two year old. He jogged it today. He waited for them a wee bit but once they came up beside them he kicked away at the end," he said.
And Sanderson will also take the reins in the $80,000. Welcome Stakes at Addington on Saturday.
The youngster is not overly big but according to Wilson he showed enough ability to race as a two year old.
"I had him going before Christmas and took him to the workouts once. I actually was very impressed by him. He got his tongue over the bit and I couldn't control him. He sat three wide and they went 3-08 and was still there at the finish pulling his head off. I gave him a month off and he grew a hand while he was out. He's just got natural talent."
At his first start at Invercargill he was still very much on a learning curve when running fifth.
"He should have won it probably. He did everything wrong when the other horses came around him with a lap to go and ended up last. Even when he got to the straight he couldn't get a run."
Wilson bred Jerry Fitz from his Panaramo mare Outkast whose pedigree goes back to classy Majestic Chance horse Mister Majestic which won seven races for Wilson.
"This guys a spitting image of Mister Majestic to look at and everything about him."
The mare's first foal out of Outkast Life Of Riley, a full sister to Jerry Fitz has had five starts without collecting any stake money.
"She does everything he doesn't do. She poor gaited and has bad manners and he's the opposite. You can't tell with breeding horses."
Adam Sanderson, Jerry Fitz and the Wilsons - Megan Graham
Later on the card Wilson won the Marshall Industries Ltd 4 year old and older Mobile Pace with Village Jasper mare Von Regal. She was also driven by Adam Sanderson.
"She got pushed down early and got a bit keen but in the end I ended up getting a beautiful run with three wide cover. She just jogged it," he said.
Von Regal paid $35 to win but according to Sanderson her form was better than it looked.
"She's been going good races. She got knocked over at her last start but back into a mares grade and she loves the bigger track as she hits a shine a bit."
First Sign (Sunday 17th April 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
He was 11/11 in the betting and after three favourites had won the first four races, Supreme Sign was a major earthquake to most punters.
The five year old was back early before trainer/driver Brendon McLellan moved him forward with a lap to run. After that he received a nice trip and fought off all challengers in the home straight to beat Bettor Yarn by three quarters of a length.
"He did it reasonably comfortably. He's did a bit of work mid race but he got a nice sit afterwards," said McLellan.
Supreme Sign qualified at Wyndham in October by five lengths running his last 800 metres in 58.6. Today was his first sign of any raceday form in three starts but McLellan has been patient with him taking back to the trials inbetween starts.
"He's a typical Life Sign really. He's taken a long time to grow into his body. He's got a wee bit of toughness about him and he's a good gaited horse but it's just taken time."
McLellan trained Supreme Sign's half sister Country Manoeuvre to win two races before she was exported to Australia.
The five year old is owned by Malcolm McKelvie and McLellan's wife Megan and is out of April Charm the winner of three races.
Snow McLellan and Supreme Sign return to scale, job done - Megan Graham
Space To The Rest (Sunday 10th April 20110
By Bruce Stewart
How many times have we seen Tomahawk trainer Ali Malcolmson turn up with a high speed trotter, take the lead and put the pedal to the metal?
Malcomson bought the philosophy to Gore today, and at the end of the Gore Workout Committee Trot there wasn't another maiden trotter that got near his drive Space Ace.
Away safely, Malcolmson put the handlebars down and the Sierra Kosmos gelding had the lead after one hundred metres and that was always the plan.
"Absolutely he wasn't going to be sitting in behind. Once he turned for home he wasn't going to get beaten. He was trotting good in the straight and I thought if I got around that last corner I'm pretty near home," said Malcolmson.
The four year old is owned by stable client Jim Ironside and is closely related to some of Australasia's best squaregaiters.
The dam of Space Ace, Not On Your Nelli, is a full sister to Chiola's Lass, the winner of ten races. She's had remarkable success as a broodmare leaving Allegro Agitato (22 wins), Skyvalley (24 wins), Cabaletta (7 wins) and Argeggio (6 wins).
Despite having good Forbury Park workout and trials form Space Ace was let go by most punters.
"He's won nearly every workout and trial he's been to in the last month so I was a bit surprised he was as long in the odds (22 to 1)."
Easy as for Ali and Space Ace
Prior to today's start the gelding had had three previous starts for no return.
"He had a bone chip in his mouth for a while and that upset him for six months. He's also a bit headstrong and wants to get on with it but in time he'll make quite a nice horse. It's just about getting him to as many workouts and trials as we can to get him settled and he's just not trotting a 100% at the moment. There's another couple in him for sure."
Mutineer a half brother to Space Ace also won a race for Ironside and Malcolmson on the same course over three years ago. He paid $32 to win.
Vin With A Grin (Sunday 10th April 2011).
By Bruce Stewart
The breeding record of Ballymenna is second to none and it's a record that local breeder Vin Nally is proud of .
The nine year old unraced Badland's Hanover mare which is a half sister to the Riverton Cup winner Paddy O'Brien, has had three foals, all of which have raced. And since Christmas between them, they've had six wins. The latest success was Scarrymccleary's second win, when he took out the second race at Gore today.
El Capone (3 wins) and Marcus Aurelius (1 win) are the mare's other two winners.
Trained by Tony Barron, Scarrymcleary was only having his seventh start today and was driven a treat by leading reinsman Dexter Dunn.
"He got a bit lost on the turn when they were sprinting but Dexter said he really found the line good," said Barron.
Despite being at the top of his game Barron is adamant that the three year old needs to be turned out.
"Just knowing what that family's done I think he could be a pretty nice horse next year."
Tony Barron has had a bit to do with the family and thinks that Scarrymccleary is very similar to close relative Paddy O'Brien.
"In his pacing he used to knuckle over all the time just like Paddy O'Brien but he's just got stronger and stronger to the point where he's just not doing it at all. He's probably the closest the syndicate's had to Paddy O'Brien as far as manners, attitude and gait so he's very much like Paddy and I expect him to do a similar job."
The three year old is raced by the Dolamite Syndicate which is into it's 30th year of operation . The syndicate is made up of Vin and Jan Nally, Ken and Barri McLeod and Pete and Ann-Maree Robertson.
Scarry - but Scarrymcleary just gets there.
Bettor's Delight For Brown (10th April 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
Warren Hubber has bought and sold many horses but for the moment it looks as though he may just be hanging onto one of his latest sales purchases, Compton Street.
The first start winner at Gore today was purchased at the 2009 Sale of the Star and broken in in Canterbury before joining Murray Brown's Finlay Road stable.
"He got kicked as a young horse and the vets took a bone chip out of his knee. It's all good now," said Brown.
Brown, who is a bit of a fan of the progeny of Compton Street's sire Bettor's Delight (and who isn't?) said there won't be too much asked of the three year old this season.
"He'll probably have another couple of starts and we'll chuck him out. He's a big boy and next year will be his go. He's a bit lazy but that's the way you want them."
Compton Street and Andrew Armour
He's the first foal of the unraced Badland's Hanover mare Harmony Franco and has plenty of quality colts in his immediate family including Franco Hatrick and Franco Heir .
He qualified at Winton in February and has been given a solid grounding at workouts by Brown.
Christian Rulz (10th April 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
One of Southland's best judges of horse power, Brent Barclay thinks Christian Ruler is on the way up and that's the right way to be heading as the three year old heads to the New Zealand Derby.
"He's definitely improving. Every time I've driven him he's just given me that little bit more and to run a 56 second half around here - they don't do that every day and he found the line really nice. He actually felt quite sharp today. He left the gate real good and when he got to the front he was nice and relaxed. Every time something came at him he picked the bit up. He's just the perfect racehorse right now," he said.
From barrier two Barclay didn't think he'd lead from the mobile.
"I thought the four horse (Franco Nick Nack) might have crossed us from the gate but he (Christian Ruler) left the gate a lot better today so I thought we'd take advantage of that. Hamish (trainer Hamish Hunter) said he does like running in front so I thought we'd just roll along and see what happens."
This was one of the best fields of the day, and there were some good runs behind the winner; including River Black which was checked by Phantom Grin but still ran on. Phantom Grin, despite been relegated ,showed how tough he is while Donthavetime stormed home late.
Colin De Fillipi will take the reins on Christian Ruler in the New Zealand Derby while Barclay will return to the sulky for the Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes final at Invercargill on the 30th April.
The Ruler and the gang
Christian Ruler is owned by the Yshearasheep Syndicate which is made up of John Catherwood of Middlemarch, Ken McConnell of Clyde, John and Paul O'Neill Ranfurly, Bill Bain of Roxburgh, John Hartnell Christchurch, Brendon McIntyre Invercargill, Dennis Mullally Alexandra, Kevin Powell Christchurch and Jim Readon of Rakaia.
Catherwood, McConnell and the O'Neill's are also in the What Ever Syndicate which with Hamish Hunter, races the other stable Derby hope Franco Ledger. So all roads lead to Addington for a lot of Southern men.
Franco Ledger was supposed to have raced at Gore but Hunter said the race was canned. He believes it was scrapped because the nominations where frightened off by the presence of quality colts Franco Ledger and Terror To Love.
Peter Hunter will drive Franco Ledger in the Derby.
