Top Of The Trots (Saturday 10th September 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
Impressive Winton winner Motu Young Jacob isn't likely to race for much longer in Southland according to his trainer Tony Barron.
"He's buggered down here now. He's got Oamaru on the 18th September so he'll either be sold or I'll have to send him north," said Barron.
If Barron and co-owner Peter Marshall retain ownership and he races in Auckland he'll go to Tony Herlihy's stable. But if he races in Canterbury he'll head to Barron's brother Ken's barn. Barron also says the six year old will probably race during Cup week and there's been some thought of even racing him in Australia.
"There's the option of racing him at Menangle. He'd gets in over there as a M0 horse so he's very well placed."
He says Motu Young Jacob should have his best season now that he's matured. The gelding normally takes a handful of starts before he races into top form but this season he's only had one trial and yesterday was his first start in a fresh campaign.
"He's done a lot of slow work. At the trials last week he went average and blew out quite badly so we stepped his work up. His work this week has been super."
Off 70 metres yesterday, the gelding settled nicely and got a good drag into the race but the win did surprise his trainer.
"It was a bit of a surprise but the way the race worked out it fell into his hands. People were saying it would be tough from 70 metres but there were only three off the front and the rest of the field were off 40 metres so he was only 30 metres behind the better ones."
Motu Young Jacob and Dexter Dunn winning at Winton - James Jubb
Barron normally takes horses north to Auckland for winter racing but for the first time in a number of years he decided to stay at home - a decision he has some regrets about.
"Perhaps one of my biggest mistakes in training was missing taking him (Motu Young Jacob) to Auckland in the winter. Neville Vaughan (trained by Kevin Townley) has been racing around with five or six opposition and winning, and we could have done the same. He's sitting on a hat trick of wins at Alexandra Park and he's up for a bonus so it was a bit of a blue."
Ox-inella (Saturday 10th September 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
Second season trainer Wayne "Ox" McEwan, who has only had a license for nine months, not only trained his first winner at Winton yesterday but he also trained the quinella in the Jereme's Jet @ Alabar Fillies and Mares Mobile Pace when filly Kacee Jane narrowly beat stablemate Lady of the Night.
McEwan who operates under McEwan Bloodstock Limited, bought Kacee Jane's mother Jennifer Kay at the 2008 Christchurch Autumn Broodmare Sale for $2,750 in foal with Kacee Jane. The Holmes Hanover mare won one race from 38 starts and is a half sister to the well performed Aslan - the winner of eleven races.
"We qualified her (Kaycee Jane) late last season and we started her at Wyndham. Ken Barron drove her and because she didn't have any speed we had to drive her on the pace and that told," said McEwan.
He trains only three horses, utilising his father Ron's Branxholme track. McEwan wasn't overly confident that Kacee Jane would go well preferring stablemate Lady of the Night. In fact John Bennett who works for McEwan had the pick of the drives and he chose runner up Lady of the Night.
"I said to Dexter I haven't driven a winner in fifteen years and he should have stayed in America. In saying that if my horse had received the trip the winner did, I would have won,' said Bennett.
McEwan says that both horses and stablemate Hey Jude will now head north to Canterbury.
"I'm out of the country on business for a couple of weeks so they're all going up to Ken Barron. He'll give them a couple of races and see what happens."
Kaycee Jane just beating stablemate Lady of the Night - James Jubb
McEwan who owns Ryal Bush Transport has been involved in harness racing for good number of years. His first winner as an owner was with Marked Man II gelding Men's Club. Trained by Ron McEwan, he won three races in New Zealand and another three in Australia.
McEwan junior also has shares in talented Bettor's Delight mare Candy's Dream (3 wins from 12 starts) and trotter Yaldy Boyz (2 wins from 18 starts).
Canardly Canes Them (Saturday 10th September 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
Canardly Lover lived up to the high opinion his connections have of him when he easily won the Majestic Horse Floats Mobile Pace at Winton yesterday.
After drawing position one behind the mobile Canardly Lover ended up three back on the fence before Hunter was able to move him into the one one with 2000 metres to run. He started to travel three wide from the 400 metres and ran away from the field, winning with his ears pricked.
Canardly Lover is raced by the Centaurus Syndicate which includes Graham Conney and sons Dan and Tom, Stags hooker David Hall, Vin Nally, Hilary Haggerty and Caryn Nash.
Nally wasn't on course yesterday preferring to be in Auckland for the opening of Rugby World Cup 2011. His wife Jan witnessed the win and the couple also share in the ownership of Scarrymccleary which won later in the day.
Nally, a good stockman, broke Canardly Lover in and told Graeme Cooney he was the best horse he'd sat behind while Nash looked after his dam, Just Another Lover which won six races for Ali Malcolmson's stable.
It's a change of luck for both breeder/owner Graham Cooney and the Centaurus Syndicate. In 2007 they jointly owned one of Southland's most promising maideners Rolls Canardly. The son of Life Sign qualified impressively at Winton beating Loch Nagar and trainer Hamish Hunter had a big wrap on the horse but injury prevented him from ever racing.
After impressive trials form Canardly Lover was widely expected to win first up.
"Hamish said you've got to put him in a race like this. He said it might be a bit tough for him first up but he had the ability so we put him in this $9,000 race. Racing for that money is a marvelous concept so congratulations to Murray Swain who put the idea together. We will also look for a $9,000 maiden for Devil May Care and start Canardly Lover in a $9,000 C1."
Graham Cooney is Hunter's biggest individual stable client with Devil May Care, Terriffic and Gotcha also in the stable.
The win also impressed his trainer who has seen the son of Real Desire develop.
"He was a small weedy two year old but he did get up and qualify and show that he had a wee bit of ability to go on with. He's slowly growing up," said Hunter.
He says Canardly Lover will now be aimed at the Northern Southland meeting and then a Sires Stake heat.
The impressive style of Canardly Lover winning for Hamish Hunter - James Jubb
Larsen Strike (Saturday 10th September 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
At the Winton Meeting yesterday Branxholme trainer Kirk Larsen continued his great strike rate with horses by Life Sign owned by Bruce Stirling when Shadow Strike (Life Sign - Vera's Pride) became the latest winner from the family.
Previously Elmer Fudd (Life Sign - Denice's Dream) had won his first start at Oamaru while Blackleugh (Life Sign - Vera's Rose) won at his second start at Forbury.
Shadow Strike qualified at Wyndham last month.
"He was in pretty good order so I thought we'd give him a couple of races and see where he's at. Bruce (Stirling) said before that he's only been off the place five times and he's won four times and done everything we've asked of him. He hasn't done anything spectacular but he's one of those horses that everytime I've put him out he's done the job," said Larsen.
There were some anxious moments for Larsen in yesterday's race. Shadow Strike trailed leader Rob's Ideal for most of the trip but that horse broke in the home straight 50 metres from the post.
"The leader broke and just ducked in a bit and it was a bit awkward for a minute but we were pretty safe. I was more worried
because he's still a green horse so I thought he may have taken fright. But he handled himself well."
It was also the colt's first start behind a mobile.
"I gave him a run in the preliminary behind the gate and he seemed good and handled himself well."
Shadow Strike coming down the lane - James Jubb
Larsen says Shadow Strike is on the market and Stirling has another promising type in Cuddlecam in the stable.
"He's by Julius Caesar and had one start as a two year old last season. Unfortunately he tried to put the boot in and fell over, but we quite like him."
Proctor’s Delight (Tuesday 20th September 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
It’s been a bit of a wait for Winton trainer Trevor Proctor but it was worth it when Tact Hayleys Delight impressively won the Stallions Tenders Pace at Ascot Park today.
The Bettor’s Delight mare qualified as a three year old at Ascot Park in May but its taken time for the stable to get her organised.
“She’s been a work in progress. Right from the beginning she’s been a troublemaker around the stable and shook her head all the time. She qualified but it wasn’t worth persevering with her at that point” said Procter.
He says credit for the four year old's change in attitude must go to new stable hand Daryl Swain.
“Daryl has been working on her since he joined the stable, giving her heaps of time and she’s gradually matured and got better. He’s shown a lot of patience and hasn’t pushed her too hard. He just takes her over a two mile quietly and has worked her alongside a trotter driven by his mother Denise until she got her confidence.”
Despite the win Proctor isn’t getting too carried away. He'd like to start her in higher stakes races but he says they have to wait for her to mature. “We’ll just see how she recovers and we may look at another Tuesday meeting. If you put her against the big guns in the higher stakes races, she may get pushed around and lose her confidence.”
Tact Hayleys Delight was perfectly driven by Brent Barclay who trailed runnerup Hereshoping before coming out at the top of the straight to win by two lengths, with a further six and a half lengths back to Shades of Peru. Barclay has an excellent record with horses trained by Proctor, having reined Tact Aunty to win her first start and Tact Lizzie her second start.
Tact Hayleys Delight and Brent Barclay - James Jubb Envious Photography
Tact Hayleys Delight is the first foal of ten race winner Tact Hayley Jane. The mare also has a Bettor’s Delight three year old filly and a weanling filly by Lis Mara.
Archies Yarn (Tuesday 20th September 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
Bettor Yarn extended his record to two wins from eleven starts for Invercargill trainer Murray Brown when he lead and won the McKnight and Brown Mobile Pace at Ascot Park today.
“He lead up and won at Gore so I gave the lead a go and thought that if Beckies (Allan Beck) horse (Call of Duty) was good enough to beat us then he was good enough to beat us,” said driver Andrew Armour.
Brown has only had the horse since February after he started his career with Tim Butt in Canterbury.
“When he first came down we really liked him but he needed to mature and is getting there. He can be driven with a sit but he gets a bit keen behind the gate now so it’s better to roll. He found the top today and we got away with a few cheap sectionals. We dashed up from the quarter making it hard for them to catch us from behind.”
Better Yarn and Andrew Armour beating Call Of Duty - James Jubb Envious Photography
Bettor Yarn held off Call Of Duty by a half a length with Leave Mealone a neck back in third. The 2200 metres was run in 2-47.8 with the last 800 metres in 58.3 and 400 in 27.5.
He’s out of the Vanston Hanover mare Vanyana which won 14 races in Australia.
By Bruce Stewart
Southland bred horses were to the fore at the Banks Peninsula trials yesterday.
Highview Christian, bred by Dave Clark at Highview Standardbreds at Riverton qualified for Cran Dalgety. The three year old is by Christian Cullen out of the Safety Kept mare Kurahaupo Illusion and was sold for $57,500 at the 2010 Sale of the Stars. Dalgety spotted him on the Southern Bred Southern Reared tour.
Another Southland bred youngster Macardo (McArdle-Jamie) qualified in the same heat for David and Catherine Butt. The three year old was bred by Brent and Sheree McIntyre of Macca Lodge and sold at the same sale to Peter Cate for $33,000.
Macardo as a yearling at Arden Lodge
Lucky Rob owned by Balfour breeders Robert and Elenore Wilson also qualified at the same trials. The four year old is trained by Jamie Gameson and is by Life Sign out of the Holmes Hanover mare Devine Bromac which won nine races.
Devine Bromac won six races for John Dickie before been trained by Michael House who won another three races. The mare's biggest winner is the In the Pocket stallion Chilli which won ten races and recorded a 1-51.8 mile in America.
Another locally bred gelding Arden Torres ran 6 seconds inside the qualifying time but paperwork is currently preventing him from getting his qualifying ticket. Bred by Noreen Stiven, he's by Bettors Delight out of Tosca Hanover and is trained by Mark Purdon and Grant Payne.
Meanwhile one of the stars of Monday’s Ready to Run trials at Ashburton was the Southland bred filly Optimo Denario. Her time for the 800 metre trial was 57.2 with the last 400 in 27 seconds (the fastest of the day).
The Bettor’s Delight filly was sold by Mark and Pauline O’Connor for $10,000 to Greg Payne. She’s out of the Washington VC mare Orse M Denario.
The O’Connors are breeding from a full sister to the Optimo Denario (Ergo Denario) and she is due to foal to Panspacificflight. They also have a well-made Art Major half brother (Orio Denario) which is heading to the March 2012 yearling sales.
Brent McIntyre leased Orse M Denario during the past season and she is also due to foal to Panspacificflight this Spring.
The progeny of Real Desire are starting to come to the fore.
Locally bred three year old, All Star Man qualified at Addington on February as a two year old and recently won a workout at Motukarara. He's the third foal out of the Soky’s Atom mare Nitouche Franco.
The three year old bred by Dianne and Noel Cournane of Myross Bush was bought back for $17,000. at the 2010 Sale of the Stars. Recent impressive Winton winner, Canardly Lover is by Real Desire.
Nitouche Franco has already left Franco Nick Nack (2 wins) and the Cournane’s have a Jereme’s Jet two year old out of the mare named Whisper Jet.
Jereme's Jet - Nitouche foal - Whisper Jet at Macca Lodge.
Arena Plans Get Kick Start (Sunday 25th September 2011)
By Bruce Stewart
A recent meeting between the Ascot Park Equine Centre Board, the CEO of Harness Racing New Zealand Edward Rennell and Greg Purcell Chief Executive of New Zealand Throughbred Racing has kick started plans to build an indoor arena and new stabling block at Ascot Park.
The meeting was initiated by Standardbred breeder and owner Graham Cooney after the idea for the complex had stalled, having been on the drawing board for about three years.
All parties have agreed that someone needs to be employed to further investigate the concept and to complete a proposal that can be presented once again to funders of the project.
Ascot Park Equine Centre Board Chairman and President of the Southland Racing Club, Sean Bellew is upbeat about the complex going ahead and said the meeting was very positive. He says Southland is seen as a strategic area for harness racing.
"It's also on the verge of being recognised as an important galloping venue," said Bellew.
Sean Bellew
He says the Racing Industry is likely to offer around $1.5 million in the form of a grant or loan and he's confident that APEC can get further funding from the A&P Society, ILT and other organisations to complete the complex. Initial approaches to the Community Trust of Southland have been turned down. The complex is expected to cost between 4 and 5 million dollars.
The indoor arena will be 80 metres long and 60 metres wide and will have the capacity to be divided into two international dressage rings.
The stabling area, which could hold up to two hundred horses on race days, will be built alongside the arena.
The Southland Racing Club recently sold land on Racecourse Road where a retirement village will be built. Bellew says the money from the sale won't be directly used for the arena but will benefit Ascot Park by providing funding for things like track conditioners and new course equipment.
The Sloan Train (Friday 30th September 2011)
Bruce Stewart
Over the last few years, Alan and Liz Sloan have invested good money in standardbreds and they look to have another smart type in Gone Overboard which won impressively at Ascot Park today.
The Christian Cullen three year old was bought at the 2010 Sale of the Stars for $22,500. by Alan, Liz and Makayla Sloan who race the gelding from Clark Barron's stable.
Gone Overboard ran home strongly for sixth behind Canardly Lover after an early mistake in his first start at Winton and was then taken back to the trials.
"He's a very green horse. If you have a look at him he's very immature and time should help him," said Barron.
Making the most of the one barrier draw today, Barron took the three year old straight to the lead and he was never headed, beating favourite Ardghal by seven and a half lengths.
"We wanted a strong pace. I always knew he was a strong stayer and we hadn't really tried that yet and we needed to get a line for next week." (Sires Stakes heat at Forbury Park).
The winning time was a smart 2-43.1 which didn't surprise his trainer.
"Not really. I thought if they go 2-45 he'd be hard to bowl but on a good day like today it's been better that that."
Gone Overboard is out of Went Overboard ,a daughter of broodmare gem Zenover who's progeny included Interchange the dam of Elsu.
"He qualified as a two year old at Winton but mentally be wasn't there so we turned him out because he needed to mature."
The Sloans owned Lovers Delight which won four races from just ten starts for Invercargill trainer Wayne Adams last season. He was sold to Australia where he's won a race, run two seconds, and was third behind Seel N Print in the $200,000.West Australian Derby.
Barron also trained Cosmic Power for the Sloans. He won at Invercargill meeting in November 2006 and was also sold to Australia where he won another four races.
Gone Overboard on his own - James Jubb - Envious Photography.
Don't You Just Love It (Friday 30th September 2011)
Bruce Stewart
"He goes rather nice and he had the advantage of a good draw today and a good trip in front so it made it easier on a tight circuit like this," said trainer/driver Hamish Hunter after Canardly Lover impressively won his second race in a row.
The three year old was taken straight to the front at Ascot Park today and went to the finishing line to easily beat Lively Hero by two lengths running his last 800 metres in 58 seconds.
"He's a very nice front runner. With racing he's slowly improved and he showed a bit of gate speed today which I thought he probably had. That's a handy weapon to have as he goes on in his racing."
The word is that two of his owners Tom and Dan Cooney plan to head home from Australia for Cup week but Hunter says the talented gelding has to take the next step.
"He gets to race in a Sire Stakes at Forbury next week. We'll get through that first before we decide whats next."
Number two for Canardly Lover and Hamish Hunter - James Jubb- Envious Photography.
With the number of smart three year old colts and geldings starting to show up next weeks heat should be a cracker. Hunter won the Sires Stakes heat at Forbury last season with Franco Ledger which resumed today with an impressive win in the Northern Tavern Special Handicap Pace. The race proved to be special for local owner Brendon McIntyre who has a share in not only Franco Ledger, but in Christian Ruler and Boogie Night as well, and the three of them made up the trifecta.
