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2011 SEELITE WINDOWS & DOORS SIRES' STAKES 2YO TROTTER'S CHAMPIONSHIP

The Group 2 Seelite Windows & Doors Sires' Stakes 2YO Trotter's Championship was won in a cavalier manner by Flying Isa.

Remarkably, after starting from the second line, Robbie Holmes found himself in front with the favourite after less than 100 metres, and he had little more to do than steer him round the oval. All Shook Up stayed on his back to run a firm but fading second, and Duke Of The Moment was a close third.

Flying Isa is raced by an enthusiastic group from Hamilton and Cambridge arranged by his trainer John Dickie. One of them is Jonathon Hope, who operates a major veterinary clinic in the Waikato, mainly for a galloping clientele that includes Sir Patrick Hogan. "I've done John's work for thirty years, and he's always held Pegusus Spur in the highest regard. His thinking was that over Sundon mares he would have a great influence," said Hope.

Flying Isa is bred that way, as is Paramount Geegee.

Hope has also joined a syndicate in the lease of a Pegusus Spur yearling owned by Woodlands Stud from a grand-daughter of Sundon. "Jack and Jo Davies, who are also in Flying Isa with us, bought his sister for $27,000 at this year's Sales," he said.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18 May 2011

2011 VERO 3YO FLYING STAKES

There was a bonus of dramatic proportions for those lucky enough to be at Addington on the loveliest of Autumn days last Saturday.

They saw the wickedly talented Carabella wave goodbye to 12 others in the Nevele R Fillies Final, they again watched Flying Isa dominate the trotting 2-year-olds and record his fourth successive win, but none came with the back-of-the-bunch brilliance that catapulted Western Cullen to a dashing win in the PGG Wrightson Sales Series Open Division Final. But in reality that was no more than a stunning sideshow.

The main act came from two 3-year-olds in the Group 2 Vero Flying Stakes, usually the warm-up to the New Zealand Derby. It was a surprise to get a finish this good, but Gold Ace and Terror To Love made the race an unforgettable exhibition of spirited comptition.

They started the home run with Gold Ace moving powerfully past the others, the hunting Terror To Love clearing his back to challenge on the right. They ran past the empty public grandstand where 20 years ago young and old would have paid for the privilege of seeing a fascinating tussle between the pair. The bay horse, closer to black than brown, soon narrowed the gap and levelled.

Gold Ace was ready for him, rallied, and fought him long and hard. That was just when it seemed Terror To Love had managed to get the better of him. By now the heat of the battle had less than a second to run. Gold Ace had it...then he might've. And soon doubt. Terror To Love had pushed right on the line. Close? This was a measure in millimetres.

No-one knew it moreso than Mark McNamara, who in the commentary box gamely went for a dead-heat. These are cheeky calls, but heroic when they come off. This one did. Unseperable. Two truly great horses sharing the triumph. Peter Ferguson, the driver of Gold Ace, used a comfortable cliché when he said it was "great for racing". And that was the truth of it.

Jim Curtin eased Terror To Love in the early rush to find the back of Gold Ace. Ferguson was out well and tracked along with the trail on the outer. Curtin was poised to pounce. Gold Ace had the advantage of being in front, Terror To Love the challenge of getting past. "The race was always set up by what they did in the Derby," said Ferguson. He agreed that Terror To Love headed Gold Ace. "I always knew he was there, right behind us. And when he went past, I thought we would run a nice second. Then, inside the last fifty metres, I felt him lift. It was going to be close. And even when it's very close you usually have half an idea who has won, but this time I had none, and neither did Jimmy." Curtin thought the same. "I hope I'd got past him, and I thought I was going to beat him, but horses like that are just so hard to get past."

The pair will meet again in the Harness Jewels at Ashburton where both want front line draws and will run smart time if they do.

Gold Ace, another siring triumph for Bettor's Delight, had missed at least five days work with a leg injury after his NZ Derby win. Trainer Steven Reid was concerned that any longer would have made him worried, but the recovery happened in good time.

The result was one of those occasions that made an Autumn day at Addington one to treasure. Thanks to Terror To Love and Gold Ace, there's no doubt about that.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18 May 2011

2011 AVON CITY FORD NZ WELCOME STAKES

There's very little consolation for having to scratch the favourite out of a Group 1 event at Addington. Apart from winning the race with your second-stringer, of course.

Such was the predicament that Cran Dalgaty found himself in on Saturday night at Addington...just hours after breaking the news to one set of owners that Raging Bull wasn't right to take part in the NZ Welcome Stakes, Dalgety was receiving handshakes from another when Orl Black held on to win the Avon City Ford-sponsored thriller.

Not that stable client Ross Stanbury minded either way, because he's listed in the ownership of both juveniles - racing the unbeaten Raging Bull in partnership with Trevor Inwood and Haleem David, and joining Pete, Debbie and Patricia Smith together with Clive and Rona McKay as the bill-payers for Orl Black.

"There's nothing seriously wrong with Raging Bull," Dalgety confirmed. "You just get a lot of little coughs and colds amongst the team when the Winter snaps start coming at this time of year. We had a few wee health issues with Orl Black recently too. But he's over his, whereas Raging Bull's still coming through some."

Orl Black was faced with the widest draw over 1950 metres on Saturday night, and Dalgety says he and his number one reinsman Dexter Dunn discussed how best to tackle barrier eight. "It wasn't really the plan to lead," he said. "From out there you can either roll forward and hope that you don't spend too much petrol getting handy, or pull back to last - but if you do the latter you lose all momentum and can't kick -start again. So I said to Dex, you just make the call fifty metres before release."

If anything, Orl Black made Dunn's decision for him as they speared forward at a great rate from wide out, and once in front they did enough to beat a game Alberto Contador after that rival had eyeballed them for the last half-mile. "He's quite an authoritative little competitor, so he probably wanted to roll the gate anyway," Dalgety continued. "And because he's got a lot of speed, he made crossing them look easier than it was. But it was probably the winning of the race, as he got to set up his own terms in front. You can never head into a Group 1 race feeling cocky, because eight out of them out there are as good as each other, but his work this week had been awesome again."

Purchased 'on spec' from Day Two of last year's Premier Sale for $52,000, Orl Black is an In The Pocket colt out of Cracker Kate, a winless Holmes Hanover daughter of Pleasant Franco; this makes him a three-quarter brother to Christian Cullen and Julius Caesar, amongst others. Nowdays the 'golden cross' seems to be Bettor's Delights out of In The Pocket mares," Dalgety says. "But it always used to be In The Pockets out of Holmes mares. And I've had a good run with the In The Pockets; I bought him because of his stature, he looked like he'd make a 2-year-old. Everything he wins from here on in is a bonus," Dalgety added, referring to the fact that Orl Black's $45,025 cheque for first on Saturday night took his earnings to over $65,000 in five starts.

Dalgety's Kentuckiana Lodge had another runner in the Welcome Stakes on Saturday - Texican, who staged a mammoth performance for sixth after being caught three-wide without cover for the entire journey, with his driver Mark Jones stating afterwards that "he would've run third had I been able to steer him".

All three 2-year-olds have the same programme for the next couple of months...the Sales Series Open Final on May 14, the Sires' Stakes Final a week later, and the Harness Jewels 2YO Emerald at Ashburton in early June. "Orl Black has run third in a heat of the Sires' Stakes, which I'd like to think would get him into the Final, but we'll start in the last heat if we have to," Dalgety said. "He's more in the mould of an early runner, whereas Raging Bull is quite big in stature, and doesn't look like a natural 2-year-old. That's why we think he's a wee bit special, and he feels like he's got a bit of stamina too. Texican is about a month behind the other two in foundation, but ability-wise he's shown that he's not a million miles behind them. And Mark is quite confident about him as well. There doesn't seem to ba a standout amongst the youngsters this year yet, eveyone's having their turn."

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 28 April 2011

2011 GARRY THOMPSON/ FRED SHAW NZ TROTTING CHAMPIONSHIP

Stylish Monarch turned the tables on Inter-Dominion hero I Can Doosit when the pair met again in last Saturday night's $80,000 Garry Thompson/ Fred Shaw NZ Trotting Championship at Addington.

Stylish Monarch blazed to the front from his wide draw in the 2600m Group 1 event, and in all fairness I Can Doosit had every chance to run him down after receiving an economical trip on the outer. But when it came to the crunch, I Can Doosit couldn't, falling short by half a head as the clock stopped at 3:16.4.

"It's developing into a pretty good rivalry," said Stylish Monarch's trainer Murray Tapper. "And there isn't much between them. I Can Doosit's probably got a bit more acceleration, but my horse is a touch more consistent. If you look at the big three trotting races over the last year - the Rowe Cup, the Dominion Handicap and the Inter-Dominion Final - he's won one of them and been placed in the other two; no other horse has been in the finish of all three. His consistency is unbelievable."

Saturday's victory gave Stylish Monarch back-to-back wins in the NZ Trotting Championship for Tapper and the gelding's owner Anne Patterson, having won the corresponding event in early April last year when he defeated Braig and I Can Doosit in the slightly quicker time of 3:15.9. "I think he could go 3:14 if you asked him to," Tapper said. "And I said to Ricky (May) afterwards that it looked like I Can Doosit had headed him up the straight, but he said our horse was still working up to top speed."

Once the field for Saturday night's event was finalised, Tapper compared it to a line-up of rugby players. "There was a lot of Division One players, but really only two or three All Blacks," he said. "And because I reckoned we had the best horse in it, I thought we should drive him like it; not necessarily lead, but get ahead of most of them. Any wins a good win, and any Group 1 win is special - so is this horse I think."

Stylish Monarch is set to return north now for the Rowe Cup on Friday week, an event he'll go into without another lead-up race but that doesn't worry his trainer. Following that, the Monarchy gelding will have a three to four-week spell as the first focus for the new season centres around defending his Dominion Handicap title in November.

Then the small-time Timaru trainer with a big-time horse will break new ground and head to Australia with his star trotter - something he would've never imagined himself doing before Stylish Monarch came along. "Prior to him, I never had a horse good enough to even take to the North Island, let alone across the Tasman," Tapper said. "But he loves travelling as much as I do, and you always know he's going to do his best. Ninety-nine percent of the time, he'll trot all the way too."



Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 28Apr2011

2011 SOUTHERN DEMOLITION & SALVAGE NZ DERBY

Steven Reid has never thought of himself as superstitious. But when it comes to his horse Gold Ace, all the signs suggest he's wrong.

Take an occasion back in early February for example. reid was across the Tasman compaigning Gold Ace in the Victorian Derby Series at Melton's Tabcorp Park. On the day of the Final, he and his wife Wendy entered one of the malls in Melbourne looking for a spot to stop for lunch when all of a sudden they came across a big, bold billboard advertising the 'Sushi Sushi' chain of food outlets. Reid says it stood out like a beacon, and right then and there he got the premonition that a horse with the same name would triumph that night. His hunch came true.

Fast forward to last Saturday, and Reid awoke from an early afternoon snooze on the couch of his Addington motel to hear the last few seconds of a galloping event at Riverton beaming from the television. "...and Hill Of Gold is going to run away and score..." went the dulcet tones of commentator Dave McDonald. 'Hey', he thought at the time, 'that's the same name as the mother of our bloke - that has to be an omen for tonight'. Not wanting to tempt fate before the race, Reid only told a select few about what he hoped would be an uncanny coincidence.

As the field for the $200,000 Southern Demolition & Salvage NZ Derby took their positions behind the mobile, Reid glanced across the track at the semaphore board to see Gold Ace had closed at $5.80 on the tote. Knowing that the Bettor's Delight colt was over a respiratory infection that caused him to run a below-par sixth in Sushi Sushi's Victorian Derby Final - the same health scare that saw him also struggle into sixth a month later in the Northern Derby Prelude once back home, forcing his withdrawal from the Alexandra Park Final - the Pukekohe trainer regretted not opening his wallet, if only for a split second.

"I was very confident," he said. "But I only said it privately to a couple of people. I've never backed him yet, not once - not even when he won at Cambridge and paid thirteens. So I didn't want to start changing things now." Superstition or not, Reid got the result he longed for when Gold Ace won his home stretch battle with the favourite Terror To Love and edged clear near the line. The latter had gotten to the lead early from a similar second-row draw, while Gold Ace and driver Peter Ferguson dodged trouble at the start and joined the three-wide train starting the last lap, ranging up outside him before the 800m pole.

"The first part of the race definitely panned out well for us," Reid said, referring to the early gallop of Empyrean which checked Major Mark and saw the Purdon/Payne runner stuck wide without cover for the last half. Had that not happened, it definitely would've been a three-way slog up the home straight."

Prior to this season, Reid had never trained the winner of a 3YO Sires' Stakes Final or NZ Deby; now Gold Ace has given him both. "I've run second in the race twice," he said, remembering Monkey King's nose defeat to Pay Me Christian in 2006 and Bailey's Dream going under by a length to Badlands Bute a year earlier. What makes it more special is having my wife and our kids Matthew (18) and Isabella (13) here tonight, because they haven't all been down since I ran second with Monkey in the NZ Cup. But just having this horse right again is a big buzz as well. When we arrived tonight h was pushing Simon (McMullan) all over the place and half-pie trying to take off, yet when we put him in his stall he went to sleep."

Following the $40,000 Group 2 Flying Stakes and the Harness Jewels Emerald in early June, Reid says he'll more than likely take Gold Ace across the Tasman for the Breeders' Crown and then give him a "massive break" - leaving his 4-year-old resumption as late as 2012. "This horse's improvement between two and three has been immense. At two he was a notch below the good ones but at three he's lifted to what is possibly the best. Don't get me wrong, I think Terror To Love is a great horse - and because the two remaining races they'll meet in are sprints, it's going to come down to the draws. If Terror To Love draws well and we don't, we probably can't beat him. And Vice Versa if it's the other way round. What would make it interesting is if we both draw bad."

Another hunch? Only time will tell...

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 28Apr2011

2011 NEVELE R FILLIES' FINAL

Benny Hill is quietly changing the emphasis of his operation. He says a new training regime is being developed, with the focus on two and 3-year-olds.

He has not raced a 2-year-old this season, resisting the temptation to try an outstanding prospect of that age by Christian Cullen. "He's a horse called Beach Bunny and he's from a Fake Left mare (PK Bunny), and just went woosh when he qualified at Rangiora a week ago. He could be anything, and if we were offered $100,000 we wouldn't take it."

This is a sign of a change in direction for Hill and Cavalla Bloodstock, because next season they will be racing juveniles that they haven't in the past. "We're going to up the ante, and ask more of our young horses. This season we've tried eleven 2-year-olds, but we've also broken in twenty-four yearlings, and while some of them have gone, there will be a lot more available to be tried earlier."

Beach Bunny could have started the process, but Hill has been protective and put him out. He has enough on his plate in the meantime, with Saturday winners Carabella, Power Of Tara and Ultimate Player back at Addington on Friday night, along with Timeless Perfection. He will have three the following week, and then onto the Jewels with Carabella.

Hill made a clean sweep with his three runners on Premier raceday at Addington last Saturday, with Carabella leading the charge by setting a New Zealand record in the $140,000 Nevele R Fillies Series. She ran 2:19.7, which was a handsome improvement on the old mark of 2:21.3 held by Joyfuljoy. Tatijana Bromac, a smart filly, made a sharp sprint from the back for second, and Donegal Delight was a tough third after doing it hard in the open for a lap. Still, nothing could match Carabella, who was full of beans in the barn. "I hadn't seen her so lively before the race," said driver Ricky May, "and she was so keen in the prelim."

Hill knew she was very fresh. "She hadn't raced for six weeks, and I'd given her only the one trial. She'd been going through a growing period, and it was really happening when she ran second at Rangiora. She was a little sore, in areas where gallopers would call it shin soreness. Don't get me wrong, she was there and right to race. But it has settled down since then, and she is just getting that much stronger. And she is going to be better for the run and tighter for the Oaks," said Hill.

As well as May knows Carabella, he was still astonished she found the gas to put a few lengths on the pack at the corner. "She had been worked on a bit, and I thought she might battle when we turned in, but away she went and then knocked off near the end

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18May2011

2011 PGG WRIGHTSON NZ YEARLING SALES SERIES 2YO OPEN

Western Cullen, a Sales buy-back and later sold privately in the Spring to the Poli brothers, Paul and Tony, from Perth, won the $250,000 PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales Series 2YO Open from a tough Texican on Stauday.

Blair Orange gave him a tonne of time to settle from the second line while Orl Black sped out and ran hard. After being parked, Texican went past and gallantly established a break. In the meantime, Western Cullen had come from a cover in midfield, and was unleashing a torrid sprint. He swept past to win in dashing style, with Texican unchallenged by the trailing Franco Hemmingway for second.

Western Cullen is the first foal from the outstanding juvenile Western Dream - by Badlands Hanover and the winner of $336,361 - and he was taken home by his breeder Vin Devery when bidding in the ring stopped at $37,500. "We weren't even square at that," he said. "I knew he was a nice horse, but at that stage of his development he was not as well put together as some of the other Cullens were," he said. It didn't take long before the colt made the right steps. "He did progress well, and after he qualified I turned him out," said Devery.

Through the work of a local agent and Western Australian trainer Ross Oliveiri, Western Cullen was sold and joined the team of Mark Purdon and Grant Payne after his spell.

Western Dream is in foal to Mach Three after missing to him last season.





Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18May2011

2011 NEVELE R - WAYNE FRANCIS MEMORIAL NZ OAKS

Carabella's winning crusade continued at Addington last Friday. She came from a tricky marble for an easy win in the Group 1 Nevele R - Wayne Francis Memorial New Zealand Oaks. The best of the opposition were Donegal Delight and Miss Moonlite, but they were unable to make a competition of it.

Carabella won by more than two lengths, with driver Ricky May declaring to Dexter Dunn on pulling up she was the best horse he'd driven. If he's firm on that point, it puts such remarkable horses as Mainland Banner, Iraklis, Monkey King, Inky Lord and Christian Cullen in the shade.

After the race, there were some memorable claims made, besides the one of May's. Robert Famularo, the principal of Cavalla Bloodstock, said: "She's our own Black Caviar and we love her. She is a champion and she brings a tear to my eye." Her trainer Benny Hill said: "I thought it would be tough for her, from that draw, but Ricky's got another eleven out of ten for the drive."

May took her back off the gate and improved before the last lap. He took cover briefly and then was out and in the clear from the 800m. He sent Carabella ahead and past the tiring Miss Elsie before the turn, and left the others to fight for the minors.

As expected, Carabella was tighter this week than she was when winning the week before. "She had the night in the paddock last Saturday, Sunday off and ran a quiet mile and a half on the Wednesday," Hill said. "It's an exciting occasion and she gives us a lot of pride. She is something special and there is a lot of attachment from all of us." May said he knew she would be better for the Oaks. "She'll go whenever you want."

Famularo says Hill is the kingpin behind the success and general contentment among the staff and horses. "Everyone feeds off Benny," he says. He is a good leader and involves everyone. We have some great people with us, and it wouldn't be the same fun without them. And we really want to keep the story going. Her buddy is Monkey King. He's her best mate...and she's a Diva, and she knows it."

While the short-term target is the Harness Jewels, there are greater challenges on the horizon. "I don't think we will go to Australia for the Winter, but I know the boys have talked about the New Zealand Cup when she's five."

Andress Blue Chip, the dam of Carabella, was served by Christian Cullen this season.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 25May2011

2011 SEELITE WINDOWS & DOORS NEW ZEALAND TROTTING DERBY

Woodlands Stud had another huge night to remember at Addington last week. Stud stars Bettor's Delight claims New Zealand Oaks winner Carabella and Pegasus Spur is the sire of Seelite Windows & Doors New Zealand Trotting Derby winner, Paramount Geegee.

Paramount Geegee dominated in the same manner as Carabella did. He will be a hot favourite to win the 3YO Ruby at Ashburton on Saturday week, seeking redemption after running fifth in the Cambridge 2YO edition a year ago.

Trainer John Dickie said he probably paid too much for him as a yearling, although it's never been an issue. He had seen the horse in a Studholme Park brochure, and asked Robbie Holmes to look at the horse and bid on him. His dam Paramount Star won seven and Dickie trained her, and he always maintained she could have won more.

"When I first saw him, he was as good as the picture - a big horse. I had no owners at the time, and the bidding seemed to hang between fouteen and fifteen thousand, then Rogie (Graeme Rogerson) threw in a bid for $25,000. And away it went, and I'm paying $61,000."

From 17 starts, Paramount Geegee has won 13 races and has raced his earnings past $400,000, with grand prospects of taking it well over $500,000 before the seasons over. He has suffered from sore feet, but the addition of pads has fixed that. "It's been a blessing in disguise having him down here, working on the beach," said Dickie.

Paramount Star has fillies to come by Love You and Majestic Son.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 25May2011

2011 GARRARD'S SIRES' STAKES 2YO FINAL

The Group 1 $180,000 Garrard's Sires' Stakes Series Final was a feather in the young siring cap of the Life Sign horse, Real Desire. One of his first crop in NZ is Lets Elope, a surprise but convincing winner in the 2YO feature over Western Cullen at Addington last Friday night.

Lets Elope had not been further back than fourth in five starts, but a wide draw on the front line of the gate and some minor health concerns leading into the race had put trainer Frank Cooney on the back foot. "I know Frank was not happy with him for quite a few days and almost scratched him," said his wife, Anne. "It was only the twenty-four hours before the race that he turned the corner and he was happy with him," she said.

Cooney gave him a good run in midfield on the outer, while Western Cullen had no luck early and Orl Black went rough and broke. He ranged up on the corner, and the immediate dangers were the Ken Barron-trained trio of Chancellor Cullen, Midnight Dylan and Franco Hemmingway who all travelled well with cover. But Lets Elope laid down the law, pushing on strongly, and Western Cullen arrived well but too late to make an issue of the finish.

Lets Elope is half-owned by Anne, along with regular stable clients, Peter Haslam and Warren Outtrim. He was bred by the Cooneys from Alta Vista, a Soky's Atom mare they bought as a maiden from Geoff Small's stable. "She did a good job for us, and could be ratty, but she won a race and that was a bonus," she said. Her first foal, by Dream Away, was Belle Vista who went to Barry Purdon's stable and won four, and the open class pacer Five Star Anvil was next.

With no strong choice of a stallion for Alta Vista three years ago, they went along to an open day to see what Alabar had. "We liked Real Desire as soon as we saw him in the flesh; big jowls - an old fashioned head. And because we train as well as sell, sometimes we can take a little more risk with our breeding.

Like the others from the mare, Lets Elope was heading for the Sales and was in the catalogue. "But then Frank started grizzling that he didn't have a good one to train, so we pulled him out well in advance," said Anne.
What they liked about him was his strong temperament. "He gave the mare a hard time. He was stroppy, but had attitude."

And soon they could see he had the natural speed to be a chance as a 2YO. Trying them at that stage and racing them at two and three was nothing new for Frank. "Kurahaupo Eden was very smart, so was Areeba and Aqua Blast won a heat of the Sires' Stakes. But we don't race them unless they're natural."

This year the Cooneys sold a sister to Five Star Anvil to Gareth Dixon, which came after "a rough week". "The mare left a lovely colt foal by Mach Three who had a wrye mouth. That was tragic and a big loss. Within a day or two of that we also put down our old labrador Grace and Tammy, the old cat."

Alta Vista is the dam of a yearling filly by McArdle, and this year the Cooneys are hoping for a filly by Bettor's Delight.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 25May2011