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Trainer Dale Cameron

Dale Cameron left nothing to chance when he sent Gold Star south for the NZ Trotting Oaks. The filly waved goodbye to her Patumahoe home a little over a month ago, destined for Canterbury and pre-arranged board with Terry and Ricky May in Methven. What she had in tow took up more room than Gold Star herself...

"She came with a heck of a lot of feed," Terry said, recalling the day that Gold Star stepped off the float. "There must have been six different brews, all made up ready. I don't think there would be a horse in NZ that's better fed than her; full credit to Dale though," he said. But wait, there was more - Gold Star also came with her own manual. "Dale had written out pages and pages of instructions about her feed and training," May smiled. "And there was another half page on her shoeing. We stuck to the rules with her feed, but the rest of it went pretty much out the window. Dale's very thorough," he laughed.

Having already raced twice in the north, Gold Star's southern sojourn began with a start at Addington early last month where she ran home attractively for sixth behind Trotupastorm. She was then well backed at Methven when finishing second, the renewed interest emanating from her sparkling workout at the same course in the days prior.

And then it was on to last Saturday night's $35,000 Group 3 event sponsored by the NZ Trotters Trust, where Gold Star scored a narrow but impressive victory over Jazmin Alicia to tear away with the race that Cameron had started setting her for months ago. "From the day she qualified," Cameron said, remembering when he first put the plan in place. "It was at Pukekohe at the end of January, she'd had two runs leading into the qualifier and shown a better trotting style and speed each time. Todd MacFarlane drove her for me that day, and when handing him the reins I said I was setting her for the Oaks in Christchurch. When he came back in afterwards he said 'you're on target'."

Gold Star won her qualifying heat that day by five and a half lengths. She carried on the form to win her debut at Manawatu before running seventh at Wanganui - her last start before heading south - but the latter performance didn't faze her trainer. "Manawatu was all about the experience and a trip away, in preparation for Christchurch," Cameron said. "I didn't read too much into the next-up run because it was on grass and only a couple of days later, so in hindsight she hadn't had enough recovery time. Winning the Oaks here at Addington is indeed a great thrill. I've got to give special thanks to my vet John Ewen and physiotherapist Rachael Phillips, because they have both played a big part in this."

Raced by the Jacko Shiu-managed Happy Valley Syndicate and good friend Jack Poppleton, Gold Star has a busy schedule ahead of her...the NRM Sires' Stakes Trotters Championship and PGG Wrightson Great Northern Trotting Derby at Alexandra Park on April 27 and May 4 respectively, the Cambridge Trotting Stakes on May 17, and then a return to Canterbury for the 3yo Harness Ruby at Ashburton.

"She's real tough this filly - as tough as the colts," Cameron said. "And by the time she's five, I reckon she'll be ready for the Inter-Dominions. We have knocked back considerable offers so far. But the fact is the Syndicate bred her themselves, and they'll get as much fun from racing her foals as they are out of racing her."

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 12Apr07

Monkey King (Todd Mitchell) beating Ambro The Thug

One of the horses that stepped out onto the track for last Friday night's $50,000 Nobilo Flying Stakes at Addington is worth a million dollars; another one looked it. And in the end, the entire field separated the two as Monkey King won and Pay Me Christian ran a disappointing last.

Monkey King's performance to win on Friday night was nothing short of sensational, because he was last of the nine-horse bunch and being chirped up as he sped past the 600m mark. Driver Todd Mitchell waited, and waited, and it wasn't until Monkey King was fully around the home turn and straightened before his pilot pushed the turbo button. The response was electrifying, and Monkey King devoured metre after metre in time to catch Ambro The Thug just short of the post. His time for the 1950m event was a super 2:22.2 in the cool conditions, representing a mile rate of 1:57.3, and considering the last half was run in 58.1 off the front Monkey King must have covered his final stanza in close to 56!

Mitchell paid the Sands A Flyin gelding the ultimate compliment when he returned to the stabling area...
"For sheer speed, he's the quickest horse I have ever driven," Mitchell said. "He doesn't wear plugs or nothing. He's just that bloody relaxed, he doesn't really do anything until you pull him into the clear and ask him to go. They had gone that hard early tonight that I knew they had to come back to us - I still didn't think he could win from where he was though. And cripes, when I pulled him out at the top of the straight he nearly went into a gallop because he was going that fast. Bailey hasn't got speed like him."

Monkey King has won five of his nine starts thus far, and Friday was a welcome return to the winner's circle for a horse whose finishing burst is now firmly entrenched as his trademark. He did the same thing on debut back in October when runing third, making up a tonne of ground behind Waipipi Express, then won four in a row, and in the outing prior to last week he took lengths off Awesome Armbro to run second after giving that rival a mighty head start turning for home and pacing his last half in 55.2.

Monkey King's only other two outings resulted in an inglorious 'last of 13' when he failed to score up behind the mobile at Alexandra Park at the start of this month, and prior to that he ran fourth during what was a horror trip across the Tasman in January. "Over in Aussie he was a dead horse all week," Mitchell said. "We had a lot of trouble with him tying up in the muscles, and he just didn't feel like himself at any stage. It has taken a month to get him right, probably even longer."

Monkey King is trained by Steven Reid, and his victory on Friday capped a stellar night for the Pukekohe stable. Reid trained the winners of the first two races at Alexandra Park - La Bella Mafia and Man On Mars - and in Mitchell's absence he made a rare appearence in the sulky and even drove the first of those himself.

In charge of the team in Christchurch last week was Reid's right-hand-man Brendon Hill, and he took a lot of care when ungearing a very fractious Monkey King after the Flying Stakes victory. Asked if the 3-year-old was always like that, Hill replied "he is when he is right. When they are as good as him it's the sort of thing you don't mind putting up with though," Hill said. "It's just him. He's like Bailey - he's got heaps of character. And speed? He's got enough of it to make you fall out of the back of the cart."

Now that the dust has settled on the Flying Stakes, the focus switches to this week's big one for the 3-year-olds - the NZ Derby. There is a glint in Mitchell's eye as he thinks about his prospects with Monkey King, and quite rightly so too, because the horse is right at the top of his game again and he proved last week tha he could win from anywhere.

As much as Mitchell seems to have a mortgage on the biggest of Addington's feature races, the NZ Cup, having won four of the last seven, a NZ Derby winning drive is something that has eluded the talented Waikato reinsman so far. And that is despite fashioning a good record in the Flying Stakes too; Mitchell won the race in 2003 with Allstar Blue Jean, again last year with Bailey's Dream, and now has a 'three from the last four' record thanks to Monkey King. "I pulled the wrong rein with Allstar Blue Jean, and should have gone earlier; I ran sixth," Mitchell lamented. "Then Bailey got run down by Badlands Bute last year. It would be nice to win the Derby with Monkey King, because he's not paid up for anything else like the Sales Series or Sires' Stakes. He never showed enough early on."



Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 29Mar06

Glenbogle leads with a round to go.

Glenbogle, off the winner's list in NZ since February last year and so far this season playing second-fiddle to his half-brother and stablemate Whatsundermykilt, had his moment in the spotlight at Addington on Tuesday when he led all the way to win the feature $25,000 J Ballantyne & Co Handicap Trot.

The Armbro Invasion 7-year-old furthered a great trot for trainer Kevin Fairbairn in such events lately, with Whatsundermykilt having won the $30,000 Ashburton Flying Mile in 1:57.6 before downing Glenbogle in the $35,000 trot at Kaikoura, and he will now take a two-pronged attack into tomorrow's Group 1 $75,000 NZ Trotting FFA.

Whatsundermykilt was a scratching on Tuesday, but there was nothing amiss with the 8-year-old Sundon gelding. "He is a more lightly framed horse and didn't need two runs in three days, but Glenbogle is a fat bugger just like me, and did need the race - it won't do him any harm anyway," said Fairbairn.

Glenbogle and Whatsundermykilt, the second and third foals from Happy Highlander, a winning trotting mare by Kiltie Boy whose next two dams were by Record Time and Colossal, have returned in rare form this season and Fairbairn says it is simply due to an injury-free and uninterrupted preparation. "Whatsundermykilt put his foot through a grate at the trials here at the start of last season and was lucky not to take his leg off, and that set us back for the rest of the year. Glenbogle had a few niggles along the way as well, but has been perfect so far this time."

Glenbogle began last season well when second at Ashburton to Allegro Agitato and third in the corresponding race last year, but placings continued to be his lot, outside of a win in the Bruce Skeggs Cup at Cranbourne in March. He was runner-up on six occasions during last season's lengthy Australian campaign, which included the Bill Collins Mile, Dullard Cup, Cochran Cup and John Slack Memorial Cup at Ballarat. The latter was won by Whatsundermykilt and the Kaikoura race was the fifth time the half-brothers have quinallaed a feature trot, with the score at present 3-3 to Whatsundermykilt, which all began when Glenbogle upset his stablemate at odds of 30-to-1 in an intermediate trot on Cup Day three years ago. "If they can keep going like this, Happy Highlander must be in the running for a broodmare award, which wouldn't be a bad effort for a mare with such an obscure pedigree."

Young Shane Walkinshaw also won with Whatsundermykilt at Ashburton and Kaikoura, and while he considered winning with Glenbogle and also Woodlea Life on Cup Day as a career highlight, he will be back on the former tomorrow. "There really isn't much between them, but whereas Glenbogle has been a real tradesman, Whatsundermykilt has the razzamatazz. We are only starting to see the best of him now - he has real quick speed when peeling off someone's back."

Walkinshaw, who turned 21 last week, has a cool head for such young shoulders and is a rare talent. Not really from a 'trotting' background, he nevertheless 'caught the bug' at a very early age just from being around the odd horse. He father Paul was a hobby trainer during the 90s, where his best horse was Battle Cruiser (3 wins). Ricky May drove a bit for Dad and he became my idol - I wanted to be a driver and just like him," said Walkinshaw.

"Winning a race on Cup Day was always a dream. I left school when I was sixteen, but the last year I was only there because I had to be," he added. Walkinshaw spent a year with Tommy Behrns and did further work experience in other stables before joining Bruce Negus three years ago.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 16Nov06

It may not have been the NZ Cup as hoped, but White Arrow's 68-to-1 upset in Tuesday's $35,000 Firestone Direct FFA gave co-owner and trainer Wayne Higgs just as much satisfaction, and even more relief. "He has probably got more winning this race than what we could have logically hoped for in the Cup, but the biggest thrill is having him back to his best," said Higgs.

"He had that viral infection of the lungs last season, and sometimes they don't come back from those things. And I was starting to wonder whether he would come back from it at all. We were even starting to consider whether his future lied only in racing in America. But he turned the corner with his previous run, and the past week he has been as good as ever," he added.

Higgs took any number of positives from the result. White Arrow now has form for tomorrow's NZ Free-For-All and Higgs can now look beyond this week to the Grand Circuit again, but the satisfaction comes from getting White Arrow back to his best at home, having only had the one workout or trial this time in in September. "When a horse is not right in the lungs, it can take a long time to come right and trials only place undue stress on them. So it was best to bring him along in a controlled enviroment (at home) and get him properly fit with racing, without knocking him around too much."

White Arrow was not ready for a likely searching assignment in the Kaikoura Cup and Higgs had already given the NZ Cup away, not making the last payment, before he raced at Addington on November 3 where he got home almost as well as Flashing Red and Howard Bromac after being last at the half (55.5, 27.5) and finishing a little over three lengths from the winner.

"We reached a point where we could have busted his gut trying to get a Cup start, but it could have undone all the good work we have put in all year. We felt it was best to back off a bit and consider the best long term interests of the horse. It has only been the last week or two that he has been truly cleared to race by the vet. This is a genuine Grand Circuit horse, he is not going to be just a battler at that level."

The latter comment was hard to disagree with after White Arrow overcame the outside of the second line in the mobile 1950m to score in a 1:56.6 mile rate over Likmesiah and Badlands Bute, who were both on the ballot for the Cup. With Higgs free-wheeling in front with speedster Man With The Money, Todd Woodward was on the move from five-back on the outer a lap out; White Arrow took up the running passing the half and went on to fight off Badlands Bute on the outer and Likmesiah's late charge along the inner. "It was in nobody's best interests to try to keep White Arrow wide when he came around, and having burned early, it was only a matter of time before Man With The Money was going to run out of gas anyway."

For both Woodward and Higgs, who races White Arrow with his sister Elaine and Dunedin's Russell Nieper, it was their first wins on Cup Day. Nieper also races Highview Badlands and promising sorts in Radar Installed and trotter Sunshine Boy, all trained by Jim Curtin. "It's just great to have him back. He is the stable star and as long as he is going well, the rest can all be running last and you'd still feel like you're going okay."



Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 16Nov06

Queenslanders Norm Jenkins & Stu Hunter

Stu Hunter remembers the day he went to Tasmania to see if Flashing Red felt like a horse worth buying. "I had been in snow and blizzards while I was training in America, but on this day the track was a bog; I had three raincoats on and we didn't want to be there. But when I trialled him he did whatever I asked him to do, and I thought a horse who would do that in those conditions might be tough so we bought him."

Aged 53, Hunter had cut his teeth working as a groom for Ross Croghan, and after 18 years in the States and 18 years back home, it wasn't hard for him to know the feel of a good horse. "I had seen him race in Tasmania about four years ago, and I phoned a friend about him and he told me he wasn't for sale. But soon after Barrie Rattray brought him from his owner at the time, Eric Blomquist, for $20,000, and soon after that we heard he was on the market for $40,000. After going down there, the price didn't put us off, and he's been in the finish of all the big ones over home," he said.

That means placings in the Hunter Cup, South Australia Cup, Fremantle Cup, Victoria Cup, Tooheys Mile, Inter-Dominion heat wins, and beating Mister D G in the Ballarat Cup - 13 first three Grand Circuit finishes all told.

Hunter, who previously raced Hyperstat in the 1987 Cup won by Lightning Blue from Luxury Liner and trained former New Zealander Happy Sunrise after he finished second in the Miracle Mile, was keen on the Cup idea as soon as Anthony Butt mentioned it. "He is a horse that's always thrived away from home. I knew he wouldn't be gone when the other horse went past him at the 600m. I just wasn't concerned because I'd seen what he had done racing in the Hunter Cup against Elsu. When you click him up, there is plenty of try in him. It was a scary drive but a great one," he said.

Since arriving at Premier Stables two months ago, Flashing Red has found the regime most agreeable and the staff, especially Aimee Edmonds, quickly made him a stable favourite. "You only dream about getting horses like Flashing Red, and I knew how tough he was," said Tim Butt. "He came over in terrific order. We stuck to the game plan all through, with eleven days between races." Naturally, he was thrilled to win the race, one that his grandfather the late Derek Jones won with Hands Down and Blossom Lady. "It was terrific. We were bought up with the NZ Cup, and the Hands Down one was the best I've seen. I've had five previous starters, so it is good to get the monkey off my back," he said.

Flashing Red is owned by Norm Jenkins, a Queensland property developer.

While Butt said it was a team effort, he paid Flashing Red the ultimate compliment: "When he came to out place he was just another horse. What we got is a horse with a determination to win. There will always be a box for him at home."

-o0o-

(Article but John Robinson, HRWeekly, 16Nov06)

It was fitting that Cobbity Classic should run second to Flashing Red in Tuesday's NZ Cup, because he's the main reason why the runner-up was even here in the first place. Cobbity Classic's connections watched with interest from across the Tasman as Flashing Red grew in stature in the weeks leading up to the Cup; in a way, he was their measuring stick.

"We've gotten pretty used to racing him at home, so we know what he's like," said John McCarthy, Cobbity Classic's Queensland-based trainer. "Yes, we've had a few duels. And I actually think they're pretty similar sorts of horses. I didn't realise it, but someone told me just recently that they've raced against each other twenty times, and Cobbity's beaten him in fourteen of them. so seeing how Flashing Red was going so well across here, we kept paying up for the Cup.Th otherv thing in the back of my mind was that I didn't want Cobbity and our other two Grand Circuit horses (Be Good Johnny and Slipnslide) racing against each other all the time."

In the wash-up, Cobbity Classic came up a length and a quarter short of beating his more favoured fellow Australian - meaning that New Zealand's biggest event was quinellaed by a couple of Queenslanders. "Why not? You blokes do it to us enough times," McCarthy smiled. "But no this is a big thrill, and we're ecstatic. Andrew (son) drove him perfect, and he's only twenty so he will learn a lot from the experience too. Prior to the race we did talk about holding Flashing Red out and trying to lead ourselves, but this is the biggest track he has ever raced on and Red was probably the right horse to follow anyway."

Cobbity Classic only arrived in New Zealand seven days prior to the Cup, landing in Auckland then getting a connecting flight to Christchurch where he stayed with Catherine and David Butt out at Woodend Beach. And despite the 'hit and run' nature of the trip, the McCarthy clan were confident. "He is a good two-miler, so I knew the distance of the Cup wouldn't worry him," McCarthy continued. "He'd had two Grand Curcuit races back home and went really good in both of them, plus we train them in the sand so they are always pretty fit. And even though he has won a couple of Sinshine Sprints, including this year's one in 1:54, staying is his forte."

McCarthy believes that Queensland pacers running one-two in the Cup just further emphasises how far the State has come in recent years. "People under-estimate Queensland racing, yet it's gotten really, really strong lately. From oue stable alone, we won five Grand Circuit races last season. And I don't think Flashing Red's gone any better over here; you've got to remember, he had won two heats of the Inter-Dominion."

Cobbity Classic will step out again in the NZ Free-For-All this Friday, where he is expected to acquit himself well again. This year has been his trainer's first taste of Cup Week in Christchurch, and it won't be his last. "We might have to come back again now," McCarthy said. "Probably with Cobbity, because he is only eight and a year younger than Flashing Red. Or maybe one of our other two. They are not as tough as Cobbity but they have got a bit of zip."

-o0o-

Among the beaten brigade behind the two Queenslanders on Tuesday was favourite Mainland Banner, who finished worse than second for the first time in her 20-start career when coming home ninth. "She got a perfect walk-in start, and then galloped," driver Ricky May lamented. "Sheshould not have done it really. Waipawa Lad galloped too, and I ended up back with him so it did cost us some ground. After that I took my time getting around them. The pressure really went on all of us when Winforu went. We were following Ants (Anthony Butt on Flashing Red) round the last bend, but sh was under sufference by then. She battled on okay afterwards," he said




Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 16Nov06

Syndicate Members savour the victory

Rob Carr had more than one reason to savour the victory by Changeover in Tuesday's $175,000 NRM Sires' Stakes Final at Addington. Firstly, together with his business partner Don Kirkbride he bred the In The Pocket-Chaangerr colt, and secondly, he manages the ATC Trot 2006 Syndicate that races the 3-year-old.

Th fact that he wears both caps actually put him in a slightly embarrassing situation to begin with. "We actually give trainers instructions not to buy our horses at the Sales," Carr said. "I didn't know it on the day, but Aria (Small) came up to me later and revealed that Geoff had bought our horse - for the syndicate. "So when I asked Geoff about it he said he couldn't buy a better horse for the money, then offered to look for another one if I wanted." Auckland Trotting Club officials accepted the oversight on this occasion and Changeover joined Calibrator and General George to make up the 2006 Syndicate's trio of horses. He has now won the 50-share group nearly $240,000, with Tuesday's victory his most entralling yet.

Punched out by driver David Butcher to follow Fergiemack forward, Changeover crossed to the parked position but Butcher wasn't happy with that and went again, surging to the front. The colt had done some work to get there, and he suddenly had his main danger perched right in behind him too but Changeover was equal to the task. In the end he held Fergimack comfortably at bay by half a length, stopping the clock at a brilliant 2:20.3 for the 1950m mobile. Representing a mile rate of 1:55.7 Changeover's time is the fastest by any male pacer, any age, over the trip.

"We'd had a relatively soft run to get to be parked," Butcher said afterwards. "The wind was chasing us on that part of the track, so I decided to push on; we were either going to be good enough or not. I had no idea we were going that fast, because he was fair cruising down the back. When we got to the straight and I saw that Tony (Herlihy, Fergiemack) had already pulled out, I thought it was time to make them work a bit. But hey...we've railed, most of the rest had circled, and when you are going that speed the rail is the place to be."

Some 69 people filtered out of the main stand and piled into the birdcage afterwards to welcome back their hero; Carr says he knows that many were there, because he booked all their tickets. It was fanfare galore, and a reminder of how much fun and how successful the Auckland Trotting Club's syndicates have been for the people involved. Carr took over the role of th club's Syndication Manager from Robert Death following the inaugural Trotpower Syndicate, and there has been ATC Trot syndicates every year fron 2000 since. The stakes won from those syndicates is now bordering on a whopping $1.13 million.

"It is amazing that we still struggle to get numbers sometimes," Carr said, disbelievingly. "I think this syndicate's going to have a lot more fun yet, because Changeover will just keep getting better. Plus there is another two horses to look out for...Calibrator's had two starts and gone okay but he's just a bit weak at this stage and has been turned out; and General George qalified, had three months out, and he is just back into work now and looks smart also."

From a personal perspective, Carr and Kirkbride will send four mares to stud this year including Chaangerr, who "at this stage" is booked to Christian Cullen. They have also retained a Bettor's Delight half-sister to the Sires' Stakes winner who is two and in work with Tony Herlihy.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 16Nov06

Bev, Nathan & Phil Williamson

After a rather fruitless Cup Day, 'Team Williamson' was in irrepressible form on Show Day at Addington last Friday, and are now likely to take a formidible three-pronged attack into this week's $150,000 Dominion Handicap.

And for a while trainer Phil Williamson was considering the prospect of sitting in the stand for it all, not that that was unduly worrying him. Williamson would need a crowbar to prise his 18-year-old son Nathan from driving Jasmyn's Gift after a memorable first Group 1 success in Friday's NZ Trotting FFA, and in a somewhat surprising move, Allegro Agitato will get another chance from a stand after blowing the start in the last two Dominions and Rowe Cups. She will continue her association with Ricky May, while One Over Kenny earned her shot at the Dominion when she was seen at her demoralising best in the $20,000 Konami Trot last Friday.

With an Auckland trip coming up over Christmas, Tony Herlihy had the option to handle One Over Kenny in the Dominion, a race he has surprisingly won only one and 14 years ago with Directorship. But Sly Flyin's win in the NZ Free-For-All later in the day, which earned him a Miracle Mile invite, will almost certainly see Herlihy in Sydney this Friday night instead of Christchurch. Williamson will probably thus take the reins on One Over Kenny, and the stable could quite conceivably run the trifecta in the Dominion with these three quite outstanding mares.

It was almost certainly a unique event to have four trotting events on the one programme last Friday, and Williamson almost won all four of them. Prior to Jasmyn's Gift and One Over Kenny scoring, Lets Get Serious had caused a minor upset in downing the odds-on Tim Butt and Phil Anderson trained Moment Of Truth in the opening event, while the tables were then reversed when Smart Seeker won over the slightly unlucky Blakatak, a recent addition to the stable and yet to finish out of the money in six starts for Williamson.

Jasmyn's Gift had her chance when third on Cup Day, but an entirely different track and tactics saw her back to her brilliant best. Eased off the gate from a handy draw, Jasmyn's Gift had only one behind her in a fairly strung out field when Nathan Williamson set off at the 1800m with what amounted to a 'search and destroy' mission. Taking up the running with a lap to travel from Glenbogle, Jasmyn's Gift would not be denied in the run home as he challenged in the passing lane, and Allegro Agitato finished on out wider from three back on the fence. "She doesn't have the speed of the others, but gee she has a lot of guts," said Nathan. "She just loves the wet, so as soon as I got out there and saw how much the track had deteriorated, I became quite confident. I knew the conditions would take the sprint out of the others," he added.

The 7-year-old daughter of Sundon was well outside her own national 2600m mobile record for mares of 3:15.1, but her 3:19.5 in the conditions was still a highly commendable performance, and far too much for rivals which had far easier runs and the drop on her. Glenbogle rallied well in the worst of the conditions nearest the pylons, but Jasmyn's Gift always had him well covered, while Allegro Agitato had her high speed negated, particularly when attempting to sprint on the home turn in what had become a 'pretty shitty' part of the track.

Jasmyn's Gift has had her share of problems this past year, failing to produce her best form during an Australian campaign and having some joint soreness issues since returning this season to win four on the trot. "She's had problems with soreness for a while now, and you can't keep her 'screwed down' all the time," said Phil. "She takes a torrent of work, but you have to peak her at certain times. The race on Cup Day would have cleaned her up nicely, and I'm picking she will improve again with today's race," he added.

An improved Jasmyn's Gift will be a scary thought for her rivals going into the Dominion. Im last year's Dominion, she did a stretch and seemingly her chips at the start, but went the 'race of the century' to somehow finish third to Pompallier, a sound enough fourth on Friday. Allegro Agitato is also coming to hand nicely, and will be the hardest for Jasmyn's Gift to beat this week if she steps away with them. "She's been going away good from stands at the trials, and the ten metres will make all the difference - hopefully," said Phil. Outside of winning from 40 metres at Gore last march, in a lead-up race to winning the NZ Trotting Championship at Addington ar Easter, Allegro Agitato hasn't even attempted a stand in the last two and a half years, apart from blowing the starts of those two Dominions and Rowe Cups.

One Over Kenny won't be the worst in the Dominion either after coming off 20 metres and sitting outside the warm favourite Tozzie over the last lap. Tozzie had to work to find the lead over the first 800m, but Herlihy had him covered a fair way from home and Tozzie galloped under pressure before One Over Kenny strolled home by almost three lengths over Rhythm Of The Night and Lord Rotarian. "I was getting her ready for Auckland over Christmas - she is very good that way round - but I guess she has probably earned a shot at the Dominion now," said Phil. "The owners have been threatening to send her stud, so hopefully she has done enough to earn a reprieve in that respect anyway. As intended we pretty much gave her the 4-year-old season off, and she's still on the way up now," he added.

But the day really belonged to Jasmyn's Gift and Nathan Williamson, and he had quite a rollercoaster ride of emotions in the aftermath. A flourish of the whip as she crossed the line was soon followed by some tears of joy upon easing up, and not long after there were some tears of pain when Williamson copped a well delivered and timed hind kick from his favourite mare, flush on the shin. He was doing up a cover strap behind Jasmyn's Gift when she simply responded to entire Winforu squealing in the next stall. Williamson was hobbling around and wincing with the pain for a good 10 minutes afterwards, and will be sporting a very good bruise this week, but lost none of his admiration and joy for Jasmyn's Gift after his biggest win by far, and hers since downing Allegro Agitato in last year's Trotting Championship in record time. "She is just a lovely mare and that is not her at all - she would never kick out in her life - and I would have no qualms about sleeping between her legs. Even if I had to be getting around on crutches, you couldn't stop me driving her next week," he said.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 22Nov06

It was a dream of a catch drive for Canterbury horseman Ricky May, and something you only really read about once in a blue moon. In similar shades to this year's Group One Dominion Handicap when Colin De Filippi reined Pompallier to victory in his first drive, May rated Bailey's Dream perfectly in his first attempt to win the Group One Easter Cup on Saturday night.

Regular driver Todd Mitchell remained in Hawera for the weekend circuit, missing the Cup drive behind the Steven Reid representative. In 25 career starts Mitchell had only missed three drives on Bailey's Dream, one of which was the New Zealand Free-For-All when he had sentimental commitments to two-time Cup winner Just An Excuse. On those occasions Brendon Hill had stepped up to the plate.

Going into the Group One feature Bailey's Dream was one of four four-year-olds in the line-up. Elliot Futurity winner, and second favourite, Mr Bojangles ended his Easter Cup campaign as the tapes flew, galloping hopelessly on two occasions in the first 800m. The hot pot was once again Auckland Cup winner Mi Muchacho. He was forced to work hard three-wide for almost a lap to get to the front, and when pressured on the home turn showed his weakness yet again at Addington. Eventual winner Bailey's Dream flew inside the last 600m, crushing the favourite on the home turn before bolting away from his closest pursuers, Mighty Cullen and Imagine That.

The Dream Away gelding secured victory by one length at the finish post, while game four-year-old Mighty Cullen sprinted from three-back on the fence for second. Last week's feature winner Imagine That rallied after securing the trail for third place behind her stablemate. The favourite Mi Muchacho battled into sixth equal and will return home without a South Island victory.

Bailey's Dream paced the 3200m stand in 4.03.6, clocking a mile rate of 2.02.4. He paced his final 800m in 58.0.

Trainer Steven Reid has indicated that the gelding will now target the Messenger Championship for four-year-olds at Alexandra Park on May 5. There the Easter Cup winner will once again face the country's leading pacer, Mainland Banner.


Credit: Harness Racing NZ

Pay Me Christian holds out Monkey King, Awesome Armbro (11) & Classic Line (5)

For reasons both personal and professional, Paul Kerr breathed a sigh of relief when Pay Me Christian was finally declared the winner of last Friday night's $100,000 Christian Cullen NZ Derby at Addington. For wherever you watched the race it was a nail-biting finish...Pay Me Christian trying gamely to hold onto the lead that he'd had from the outset, Monkey King charging at him late with tremendous speed.

From Kerr's seat in the Public Stand, he thought Pay Me Christian had got it; but it wasn't until a fellow supporter dashed down to watch the instant replay of the finish and gave the 'thumbs up' that Kerr could actually let go of the breath that he was holding. "Along with the Oaks and the New Zealand Cup, this is one of the three races that I've always wanted to win," Kerr said afterwards. "The Derby's such a prestigious event, because it's been around for nearly a hundred years. And to me it's always the first real glimpse of what's to come when they're four or five-year-olds. Quite often the first three home in the Derby will go on to become good open class horses, even great ones."

Being his final outing for the season, and last ditch attempt at winning a Derby at three, Friday was 'D-Day' for Pay Me Christian in a lot of ways too - especially from his pending stud career's perspective. Automatically 'valued' at a million dollars when a half share in the colt was sold to Nevele R Stud for $500,000 back in December, that sort of money demands results. Kerr knew that better than anyone else, and after Pay Me Christian had run last seven days earlier things were even more intense.

"You wouldn't be human if you didn't feel some sort of pressure in that situation," he admitted. "So I'm glad he won this, because the horse deserved it. With an ounce of luck he could've won either of the Great Northern or Victorian Derbys, or quite easily finished with all three - and then people would've been talking about him in a totally different way. He's been the best 3-year-old this season, no doubt, and in winning the Sires'Stakes Final and NZ Derby he got the two big ones."

Pay Me Christian was heading out for a spell regardless of where he finished on Friday night, and Kerr says he deserves that too. "Yes, he was starting to show signs that he was coming to the end of it," he agreed. His zip wasn't quite there, and he was a little bit leg-weary after all the miles he's done. When we came back from Aussie he was a wee bit tired, and we knew we had to tread lightly for a while - that's why he was probably a tad on the fresh side for his race last week. He's only had nine starts as a three-year-old, but it's been a long season for him. People forget that he was up as early as July, and that he's had to peak three or four times during the year. And more and more lately he's started to realise that he's a colt. He thinks he's the king of the castle round home, running around the paddock and calling out; he covers a lot more ground during the week than most horses."

Pay Me Christian will be out for three months, with Kerr wanting him to resume around mid-October so that he has a couple of runs under his belt before "possibly" tackling the Junior Free-For-All on Cup Day. "The Miracle Mile is his main target before Christmas, so we'll be chasing a start in it, and after that there's the Chariots, perhaps another trip to Australia, and then back to New Zealand for our two big 4-year-old features in Auckland. Next time in we're going to experiment a bit and give him a lot more beach training. We're that close to one, so we're going to make use of it and keep him away from the track as much as possible in between races. There's nothing wrong with his legs whatsoever, it's just something we're going to try to give him a bit of variety and keep him mentally fresh."

At the end of Pay Me Christian's 4-year-old season is when Nevele R Stud and the syndicate that races him will sit down and discuss things. Regardless of when the career change eventuates, Kerr has no doubt about what sort of sire he'll be - not only because of the fact that he's by Christian Cullen, or won eight of his 13 starts thus far, but also because he's got a "terrific" dam's family.

"You just wait until he steps out again next season - he'll let down into a magnificent stallion. At the moment he's still a bit of a boy in that respect, we're only halfway there."

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 5Apr06

Galleon's Assassin parades after the win

Galleon's Assassin, last season's Trotting Stakes and Breeders' Crown winner, took the first step along a rich trail of pickings on offer this year in his stride with an authoritative display to win the $50,000 Christchurch Casino NZ Trotting Derby at Addington last Friday night.

The Earl gelding will back up this week for the $50,000 PGG Yearling Sales event, where his task will be appreciably easier with neither Brite Speed or Houdini Star eligible, and then head to Auckland for the $50,000 Sires' Stakes Championship on April 28, along with a couple of other races,before returning home for a freshen-up. He will then be set for the Breeders' Crown in August, following the same schedule and path which brought success in the $114,180 2-year-old Trot last year.

Ironically, Galleon's Assassin won the Breeders' Crown on the eve of trainer Mark Purdon spending a period on the sidelines, and he marked his first Group 1 race success since returning to the fray in January. He was also the middle leg of a winning treble for Purdon on the Premier Night, while top 2-year-old filly Top Tempo is unbeaten in three features including the Group 2 Nevele R Stakes, but the form of Jays Debut in recent weeks remains a mystery for him.

Raced by Purdon's wife Vicki and Aucklander Fred Tong, a long-time family friend, Galleon's Assassin was sorted out by Purdon from the 2004 Remier Sale and purchased for $33,000. "I hadn't had a trotter for a while and neither had Freddy, so we agreed to go halves in one and he was the one I liked the most." said Purdon. "He had a good head and eye, and a good barrel," he added. Tong, 50, raced a good trotter in the 70s in Butch Cassidy, but since has "just had the odd one or two-win horse".

Galleon's Assassin is the fifth foal and fifth winner from the Chiola Hanover mare Rob The Nest (6 wins), a grand-daughter of Robyn Evander, whose first two foals were the brilliant but ill-fated Sonofthedon and Group 1 winner Thedonsson, and since the mares Charlotte Galleon and Whosinthenest. Rob The Nest has since Galleon's Assassin, left fillies by S J's Photo and Sundon and a colt by Armbro Invasion, and is back in foal to Earl.

Galleon's Assassin's experience and class stood to him in his latest feature race success. Four Carat took up the early running, but Galleon's Assassin soon crossed him from barrier eight, as main danger Houdini Star missed the call-up and spotted the field 30 to 40 metres before they had begun. Houdini Star circled the field to join the pacemaker a lap out and give Brite Speed the one-one, but Galleon's Assassin had them both covered a good way from home. "I didn't know Houdini Star had made a mistake, but I did know I had him covered at the quarter and I was just waiting for Brite Speed to come." Brite Speed was struggling to keep up well before the quarter however, and came in a disappointing eighth. Fout Carat followed the winner around for second ahead of the Paul Nairn-trained fillies Paramount Gem and Insist, who likewise never left the fence from three and four-back until the run home.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 5Apr06