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FEATURE RACE COMMENT

2010 GARRARD'S NZ SIRES' STAKES 2YO FINAL

Major Mark did not have long at home to recover after his brave win over his stablemate Le Sol in the Garrard's Sires' Stakes 2-Year-Old Final at Addington last Friday night. He was on the road with Russley Rascal at 6.30am on Sunday morning, stopping overnight at Bulls and joining the Pukekohe team late on Monday. Nine others of the Mark Purdon/Grant Payne team left on Tuesday, where the assignment is the Harness Jewels at Cambridge on Saturday week.

On form and money-won, Major Mark heads the field, but it could be argued he has competition in all other aspects. The Muskeg Express was a nose and a long neck from winning the Final, having made it near impossible to win after breaking soon after the start and settling back. He was at ther back of the bunch at the 800m, and produced a finish from there that was as good as the winner's. His rewards to date are meagre compared with his enormous potential, a last start eighth behind Thumpem which should have been a win, and a brave fourth behind Major Mark the time before.

In any event, this again was not his night, but it was Major Mark's, and he more than made amends for a performance behind Thumpem that was not typical of what he'd done the start before. "He just got on one rein in that race," said Purdon. "I got (vet) Bill Bishop to go over him, and there was really nothing he could find, other than he is growing and developing. It was pretty much an all-round performance, and he must have run his quarter down the back in better than 28.7. It was a tough effort, but he had showed me that in the Young Gun series. From the run he had, I really thought Le Sol should have beaten him, even by half a length. He wasn't stopping, but he was battling near the end."

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HRNZ website

Major Mark got his big win in the Garrards NZ Sires Stakes Final last Friday but much of the post race chat on-course surrounded the deeds of The Muskeg Express.

Major Mark was super-game in edging out his stablemate Le Sol for the victory but the effort of The Muskeg Express to place third after an early break was surely one of the runs of the season.

The race evolved through many changes. After The Muskeg Express’s early mistake that saw him drift back to the rear of the field Thumpem took control of the race, looking towards a rich double. The moves didn’t come until midrace. Ransom Olds was parked and the three-wide line was carried up by Ohoka’s Bondy.

Nothing changed until Major Mark and Mark Purdon lit the fuse down the back straight the last time. In a scintillating burst Major Mark arrived outside Thumpem with 600 metres to run. Anthony Butt and The Muskeg Express had to get going too. Five lengths behind Major Mark but making ground they trudged around the field inside the last 600 metres. Butt well aware that a placing outside of the first five and there was no Harness Jewels start for The Muskeg.

Entering the home straight the Purdon paid sorted themselves out from the rest of the field. Le Sol on the inner, Major Mark out wide. By the barest of margins Major Mark claimed the win. Just a couple of pixels back was Le Sol and a hard charging The Muskeg Express was third.

The drama wasn’t over there though. The Muskeg Express then had to stave off an enquiry into his early break. With stewards satisfied no rules were breached placings were duly authorised.

As little as two weeks ago punters could have got as much as $41 for the Muskeg Express to win the Harness Jewels. Following his blown win in the PGG Wrightson the odds crashed into $8. Following last week’s herculean third $3.50 is all punters can get before the barrier draws come out on Friday.

The Sires Stakes win was Major Mark’s sixth this season and in his career. The $101,200 first prize money took total earnings past $280,000. Friday’s win was Group 1 number two following on the heels of his Welcome Stakes win last month.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 26May2010

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

2010 WAYNE FRANCIS MEMORIAL NZ OAKS

De Lovely showed talents her mother didn't whe she slayed the best fillies in town at Addington last Friday night. She sped away from 13 others in the $125,000 Wayne Francis Memorial New Zealand Oaks, cracking the New Zealand record of 3:11.8 set by Pullover Brown by running the 2600 mobile in 3:10.9.

This was a steamy mile rate of 1:58.1, and driver David Butcher said there was "no real let-up" in the tempo of the race from the start. Butcher was up and gone from the second line soon after the start, with the pace set at various times by the stablemates Meredith Maguire, then Secret Potion and from the 800m by Lancome.

Butcher had De Lovely tucked in within three lengths of the leader at that stage, and most were starting to feel the pinch turning in. De Lovely descended on them so quickly that she was level, past and clear inside 50 metres. "Her mother" - Copper Beach, who won the Oaks in 2004 - "couldn't have done that," said Butcher. "She could wind up and keep going, but this filly is better gaited and has more sheer speed. She could be as quick as anything I've driven, and that puts her up there with TinTin In America."

Butcher has noticed a new dimension to her growing abilities, and after a quiet race last week he wasn't afraid to see if she had it. "I asked a bit more of her tonight, and she stepped up a notch."

The race was also a triumph for the rising 29-year-old Falcon Seelster, who has had a long and remarkable influence as a sire in Australasia. Nevele R purchased the horse in 1995, and he has been notable for endless numbers of top performers, 269 who have gone 2.00 or better. As a broodmare sire, the exciting Franco Emirate is from the Falcon Seelster mare Elisit Franco, who won three of sixteen starts and is the dam of a yearling colt by Live Or Die.

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HRNZ Website

It was another classic David Butcher drive and another Geoff Small New Zealand Oaks. De Lovely burst away from her rivals in New Zealand Record time last Friday night to give Small his fourth win in the Group 1 feature.

The pace was on from the outside with Suidelike Meisie firstly then Meredith Maguire leading. Butcher was first to move from the midfield on De Lovely and once Secret Potion had found the front he ended up lobbing the one-one for the ride home. Lancome made a dashing move to lead down the back straight the last time but life didn’t change for De Lovely and Butcher until he showed her clear air rounding the home bend.

De Lovely burst out of the one-one like a cannon and quickly put the race beyond doubt. Lancome fought well and the remaining minors were battled out between Meredith Maguire, Royal Cee Cee and Secret Potion.

De Lovely pulled together a nice link with her win also. The Wayne Francis Memorial NZ Oaks was won by a daughter of Falcon Seelster, a stallion Francis was instrumental in bringing to our shores in the mid nineties.

The crowning glory of De Lovely’s win was the New Zealand record she posted. 3.10.9 clipped 0.9 of a second of another Small Oaks winner’s time, Pullover Brown, in 2003.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 26May2010

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Paramount Geegee on outer

2010 GLENFERRIESTUD NEW ZEALAND TROTTING STAKES

It was well inside the final 100 metres before Paramount Geegee stamped his authority on the finish of the Group 3 GlenferrieStud NZ Trotting Stakes last week. Until a fair way up the straight, Dolly Would and Latheronwheel were game and tireless, with the favourite busy getting level before finally edging past.

Driver Peter Davis, standing in for Robbie Holmes who was in Blenheim and on the sideline for another month following concussion, confirmed the view that there was never a danger of defeat. "There was more there," he said. "He did it very well."

It was the sixth unbeaten start for the big bay son of Pegasus Spur, who is trained at Cambridge by John Dickie but has been based at Leithfield, where Holmes trains. He was bought as a yearling for $26,000 by Dickie, who trained his dam Paramount Star to win seven in a short career. "He was a natural right from the start, and for a big horse was very light on his feet. He qualified on his own at Cambridge, but when I saw that all the money and most of the racing was down here, I sent him to Robbie," said Dickie.

Paramount Geegee had not raced for six weeks, but Dickie had no fear that he wasn't ready for the task at Addington. "He'd had a week off, but I did not think he was short, but you often wonder whether you've been a bit easy. He'll still benefit from it," he said.

Dickie said he was looking "for an edge" when he removed the nearside pole and overcheck from his gear. "His mother never wore an overcheck." Paramount Geegee has the Sires' Stakes Final on Saturday week, the Harness Jewels back on his home track after that, and there is the opportunity to race in the Breeders' Crown later on.

Dickie, who works a team of 11, returned to the yearling sales this year to invest in another son of Pegasus Spur, but the outlay was significantly more - $61,000. "He's exactly the same - a big bay with the same attitude. We fell in love with him as soon as he came out of the box, we honestly did. He's the same horse all over again."

The opposition to Paramount Geegee is not far behind. The young trotters by Artsplace, Sundon, Monarchy, Dream Vacation and Continentalman were all in the hunt and made a fine finish to it.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 5May10

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

2010 PGG WRIGHTSON YEARLING SALES SERIES 2YO OPEN FINAL

Sixty metres from the finish of the PGG Wrightson Yearling Sales Series 2yo Open Final at Addington on Saturday, The Muskeg Express's Queensland owners had a $160,000 cheque coming their way. That's about the point where The Muskeg Express put paid to the leader Thumpem after eyeballing him for most of the last 1000 metres. With no other horse finishing fast enough to fight for the biggest slice, the Tim Butt-trained colt started to edge clear and had the $300,000 Listed event in the bag.

Then something unbelievable happened - The Muskeg Express suddenly forgot how to pace and rolled into a gallop, disappearing back through the pack at a rate of knots; unfortunately for his owners, he discovered the easiest way to exchange a six-figure payout for one of an 'also ran' worth little more than $3600.

"We'll take it," said Thumpem's trainer/driver Ken Barron on returning, sporting a wry smile. Barron freely admits that he got lucky, but it would be harsh to begrudge him this piece of good fortune when he got smacked with so much of the opposite kind five days earlier. He was at the Addington workouts on Monday to give Thumpem's stablemate Major Obsession his last decent hit-out prior to the Sales Series Final, but the horse didn't even make it round to the start. Major Obsession faltered and crashed to the deck at the end of his prelim, dying where he lay from a suspected burst aorta. "Absolutely gutting," Barron said, describing the ordeal. "He hadn't won a race yet, but he was the best of my 2-year-olds early on; the others just caught up to him. That started our week about as low as you could get."

Thankfully Barron had something to smile about by the time last week was over, because not only did Thumpem win, but Still Coughin also signalled his 'arrival' when he beat the Cup horses in a free-for-all.

The Sale Series Final was the first of the three 'big ones' for the 2-year-olds - this Friday night's $200,000 Sires' Stakes Final at Addington and next month's $200,000 Harness Jewels Emerald in Cambridge being the others - so with a total of $700,000 on the line at this time of the year it's no wonder that Barron has been gearing his horses towards it all season.

Most of Thumpem's career had been in the north thus far, and he'd certainly been clocking up the 'frequent flyer miles' as he went back and forth for things like the Young Guns Heats and Final, Sales Graduate and the last Sires' Stakes Heat. Not that his long-time stable clients Grant Dickey and Ed and Carolyn Wardwell will be complaining though, because the carefully mapped out programme has seen their In The Pocket colt compile a record of eight starts for three wins, three placings and over $232,000 in earnings.

The trio bought Thumpem late on the NZ Premier Sale's second day for $66,000, and behind The Muskeg Express ($155,000), Cullen Bromac ($150,000) and their other horse The Cotton Club ($80,000) he was the fourth-dearest of those that lined up on Saturday; now, the colt's won more than double those three put together.

Ironically, Cullen Bromac was Barron's and his trio of owners number one choice pre-Sales, and they went all the way to $135,000 trying to get him in Auckland before exiting the bidding duel. Needless to say, they're pretty happy about how things have turned out. "Thumpem's got great manners and a great attitude," Barron says, "and he really lifts on raceday."

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Trainer/driver Ken Barron caused a major upset on Saturday when winning the $300,000 PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales Series Final with outsider Thumpem. The two-year-old In The Pocket colt lined up against the likes of hot favourite Major Mark and unbeaten Aussie raider, Cullen Bromac. However this did not faze the juvenile who ended the week for Barron on a high after losing his stablemate, Major Obsession, earlier in the week.

Thumpem began well from his wide front-row barrier draw and was in the lead after 800 metres of the 1950 metre pace. Second favourite Cullen Bromac broke within this early stage and continued to pace roughly, changing the face of the race. The Muskeg Express was soon sitting outside of Thumpem and applying the pressure. Along the back straight, Le Sol and River Black were sent three-wide and toward the front.

Thumpem led the field onto the home straight but soon The Muskeg Express had kicked and nudged out in front. It looked to be all over until 60 metres to run when The Muskeg Express broke for no apparent reason leaving Thumpem to charge on down to the line. He won the Listed race with half-a-length over Le Sol who held out large outsider River Black, by a nose. Finishing in fourth was the race favourite, Major Mark. With two outsiders finishing in the first three, the trifecta was a massive $22,029 while there were no surprises that the First4 was not struck.

Owned by Grant Dickey and Carolyn & Edward Wardwell, Thumpem has now earned $232,874 from his eight starts which now includes three wins and three placings. As none of the PGG Wrightson series’ earnings count, Thumpem remains second on the Harness Jewels 2YO Emerald behind Major Mark. However both look set to go head-to-head again in the $200,000 Garrard’s Sires’ Stakes Series Final, this Friday night at Addington.

Later on in the day, Ken Barron was back in the winner’s circle when Still Coughin outran race favourites, Bettor’s Strike and Baileys Dream, in the Susan and Jim Wakefield Mobile Pace. The now nine-win gelding (six for handicapping purposes) is currently eighth on the Harness Jewels 4YO Emerald which sees Tintin in America currently as $2.00 fixed odds favourite at the TAB.

Earlier in the day trainers Graeme Rogerson and Steven Reid won the PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales Series Consolation with second favourite, Gold Ace. Half-a-head back in third was Mabrook and Arden’s Southee one-and-a-half lengths back in third.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 19May10

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

2010 NEVELE R FILLIES FINAL

Off track, Secret Potion was hansomely served by those in the Black Type categories: the trainers - Mark Purdon and Grant Payne ; the breeder - Brian West; the owner - Studholme Bloodstock Ltd, and the sire - Courage Under Fire.

On track for the Nevele R Fillies Final, there were other matters to think about. The wide front-line draw was one, and the driver was not a familiar name at Addington. Two years ago, Nicole Molander had not been as busy on the track as she was about to be. She had won two Group 1 races with Gotta Go Cullen, but that was back in 2006 and there had been some slow days between then and now. In the 2007/8 season she won six races. Her Blonde Type profile did not glitter like the others, but that's been changing.

It started with a phonecall that led to employment with Mark Purdon and Grant Payne, and running their northern base with Jordan Compain. It brought her in touch a year ago with Secret Potion, and with a confident and aggressive drive it brought her another Group 1 success over stablmates Meredith Maguire and Lancome in the $150,000 Nevele R Fillies Final at Addington last Saturday. She caught the back of Meredith Maguire, who followed up Lancome, sat parked from the 800m outside Royal Cee Cee, and then sparked again when she had to. Lancome was unlucky, Molander was not.

Tall and slim, Molander had also won some Group 2s with Una Bromac and Gotta Go Cullen and Listed races with Sue Dreamer and Collectable. And now Secret Potion, with not one but two Group 1 wins, has given the former Christchurch girl a career with great scope and potential. Back further, Molander was schooled at the very best academies. After early work for Wayne Ross, she joined Jack Smolenski. "He was the person who guided me, and opened doors for me later."

The first one came when Smolenski had most of his horses turned out, and he was able to place Molander, or Thorn as she was then, with Barry Purdon. "Three months there and I was the only girl." After that, she worked for Dave and Clare McGowan and part-time for Steve Hunt. She was then told that Mark had some horses coming up and he might need some help. "I thought, I couldn't work for him...I was scared." Not quite scared enough to say no, and soon she was caring for Auckland Reactor and Highview Tommy at Barry's for the stable, and soon there were six of Angela Purdon's as well. "Now we have fourteen in the barn at Pukekohe and we're looking at expanding with another one."

Molander is the first to admit how lucky she has been, with another early highlight being the driver in the Inter-Dominions of the trotter, Lanson. More recently, as senior trainer in the north for Purdon and Payne, Molander has had opportunities she never thought would happen. "I'm so thankful. It's not that easy for girls in this game. There are quite a few in Australia, but it is hard here and there aren't many of us.

Molander was surrounded by her family after the race. "A day like this pulls at your heartstrings. All the family is here: Dean and our daughter Ella, my parents Peter and Claire Thorn, my sister Amanda, and my uncle Murray Thorn is here from Australia. It's just awesome where I am. The family is just a huge part of it. I don't get down here that often, and they're all here. Having another one will not stop me." As she is expecting, Molander's last day driving for some months will be on Jewels Day at Cambridge.

In the meantime, her 150th driving win is one racing memory the Molander and Thorn families will treasure forever.

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With five runners in the Group 1 Nevele R Fillies Series Final, it was no surprise that trainers Mark Purdon and Grant Payne were going to make their presence felt. However what did surprise many, was that the first three over the line all came from All Stars stables and that none were the race favourite.

As the 1950 metre pace began, Aziza sprinted through to the lead before Royal Cee Cee took over, shuffling the race favourite, De Lovely, deep on the markers. The Purdon and Payne runners sat toward the tail of the field from their wide draws until Lancome moved three-wide with a lap to run as stablemates Meredith Maguire and Secret Potion followed behind her. From here the race belonged to the Canterbury-based trainers.

Turning for home it was Secret Potion in front and with 150 metres to run the Purdon and Payne runners kicked it up a notch. Secret Potion charged ahead with Meredith Maguire chasing her down, but Secret Potion and driver Nicole Molander were just too strong. She claimed her second Group 1 race with half-a-length to spare over Meredith Maguire with Purdon in the sulky. Third in, by half-a-neck, was fast-finishing Lancome with driver Blair Orange.

Secret Potion has had a wonderful debut season with seven wins and three placings from her 14 starts. Her stakes have reached $236,474 for Studholme Bloodstock Ltd, who also own Lancome. The $80,000 won from Saturday has seen Secret Potion take over from Meredith Maguire as the Harness Jewels 3YO Diamond leader. Only one last major race remains for the three-year-old fillies until the Jewels fields are selected, the Group 1 NZ Oaks this coming Friday.

Earlier in the day trainer Geoff Small took out the Nevele R Fillies Series Consolation with Indulge. With David Butcher in the sulky, Indulge held out the race favourite, Flying Pocketlands, by a nose. Indulge is currently ninth on the 3YO Diamond leader board.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 19May2010

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

2010 SEELITE WINDOWS & DOORS SIRES' STAKES 2YO TROTTERS CHAMPIONSHIP

The winner of last Saturday's Sires' Stakes 2yo Trotters Championship could have been anybodys for a mere $800. And her six-win mother was even thrown in on the deal. That is how much Kylie Ree cost he original owner - and even though the Monarchy filly has changed hands a couple of times since for bigger amounts, she is still looking a pretty astute purchase now that her stakes tally has just shot past the $35,000 mark.

Kylie Ree (in utero) and her dam Nerokilo were snapped up at the PGG Wrightson Autumn Broodmare & All Age Sale this time three years ago by my father, retired West Melton plumber, Peter Robinson. Dad and my late grandfather Joe had had a long association with other members of Nerokilo's family during their many years of dabbling as breeders and owners, enjoying success with the likes of Ann Lord (1 win) and her daughter Ann Locarno (3 wins), so when Nerokilo went through the ring and had the added bonus of being in foal to a stallion he quite liked, Dad didn't need much convincing to put his finger up and take her home.

Nerokilo soon gave birth to a beautiful filly, but at that stage Dad had another horse in work so he decided to cut down on numbers; in walked nearby neighbour Maree Price and her son Shane, who took the mare and foal package off his hands when the latter was just three months old. "I really liked the look of her," Price said of the Monarchy filly, which she started weaning straight away. "She had a really nice head, and a great way of walking."

Price took such a shine to her new acquisition that she actually named the filly after another of her children, Kylie Maree - Kylie Ree being the slightly shortened version that she used to call her now 32-year-old daughter when she was a toddler. It wasn't long before the well-respected horsewoman had good news to pass on to her kids.

"I started breaking her in at eight months, and from 'Day One' I gave her ten out of ten with three plusses," Price said. "She was a lot like Pocaro, but even more fluent in her gait. I spent an awful lot of time with her, and some days we'd get lost for ages just walking around the roads. Sometimes you just get a 'feel' for horses, and really connect with them; that's what happened with her and I."

Like most baby trotters when they first start out, Kylie Ree took a couple of appearances to transform the promise she was showing at home into something on the racetrack. The filly's first decent cheque was a third at outing number five, and then a reluctant but realistic Price sold her on soon afterwards. "Shane was getting out of the game, because he was about to marry his fiancé Justine and move to Australia," she said. "It had cost us a bit of money to get to that stage, and you can't exactly train them for free either."

Kylie Ree's new owner is Brian McCully, who Price had first gotten to know when he purchased Eric's Legend out of her stable. Eric's Legend was initially transferred to Robert Dunn's barn before ending up with Mark Purdon and Grant Payne, and Kylie Ree went straight in the latter duo's direction. "You couldn't wish for her to go to a better stable," she said. "Mark's a super trainer, and he is so dedicated - he eats, sleeps and breathes horses."

First-up from her new base, Kylie Ree ran very cheeky second when she dived late along the marker line to push Springbank Sam close, then she made up a heap of lost early ground when finishing just under five lengths from Paramount Geegee next time out. Drawn the inside of the second line on Saturday for the Seelite Windows & Doors-sponsored Group 2 event, Purdon didn't think he could beat the favourite before the race and his mind didn't change during it - despite an economical one-one possie. "I thought second was going to be our lot," he said. "But then Paramount Geegee started to struggle over the last bit, and we got past him. Maree had done a great job with this horse, and since she joined our stable it's just been a case of putting on the finishing touches really. She's a very solid trotter, and is well-mannered."

Although unable to be on-course to witness Kylie Ree's first victory, which was sweetened even more by the fact that she established a new NZ Record in the process, few would've been yelling louder than Price. "Yeah, I was cheering her on big-time," she said. "I've always believed she'd be one of the best 2-year-olds in the country, and she'll only get better with age too because she's a Monarchy. I have to admit there were a few tears in the eyes on Saturday; not only because I know how good she is, but she is also a horse that Dad (Eric Ryan) took an interest in and watched all along. He'd have been looking down on us, I reckon."

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Unbeaten Paramount Geegee was going for her seventh consecutive win on Saturday at Addington, however trainers Mark Purdon and Grant Payne upset the party with their maiden runner, Kylie Ree. The $55,000 Seelite Windows & Doors Sires’ Stakes Trot Championship was the eighth start for the Monarchy filly and with Purdon at the reins, she finally gained her first win, and a Group 2 one at that.

Paramount Gee Gee was the best to begin and was the leader from the beginning through to the home straight. With a lap to run, Kylie Ree had followed Springbank Sam up on the three-wide train to sit in the one-one. As they turned for home she was still in the one-one and ready to pounce.

Heading for home it became a three-horse race with Paramount Gee Gee, Kylie Ree down the outside and Latheronwheel on the passing lane. Purdon was determined to make it two Group wins in a row on Premier Day at Addington and had soon put Kylie Ree in top gear. She trotted on ahead of the competition to claim her first win, one-and-three-quarters-of-a-length in front of the race favourite. Only a neck separated Paramount Gee Gee and Latheronwheel in third, with over four lengths back to the next runner in, Springbank Sam. Kylie Ree's winning time of 2.27.5 has beaten Jo Anne's 2001 2YO filiies NZ Record by 0.1 of a second.

Kylie Ree is owned by Brian McCully and was trained by Maree Price until March. The $32,292 winning stake has placed Kylie Ree just $1,155 shy of leader Paramount Gee Gee on the 2YO Ruby Harness Jewel.


Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 19May2010

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

2010 UNITED FISHERIES SUMMER CUP

Baileys Dream has had a monkey on his back for years. Niggly little problems here, injury-enforced layoffs there - there has been plenty to keep him away from a lot of big races, and keep his connections frustrated at the same time.

The latest in a long list of bumps in the road was the keyhole surgery Baileys Dream needed to remove cartilage in a knee after he went sore in the build-up to last year's NZ Cup. On top of everything else, it meant he had been away from the racetrack for more than 13 months when trainer 'Benny' Hill finally loaded him on a float again last Saturday.

Quite literally he had a monkey on his back then, too...Monkey King sat behind him in the trail for the last 1900 metres of the Listed $75,000 United Fisheries Ltd Summer Cup, and at the business end Baileys Dream all-but staved off the finishing punch that his stablemate is famous for.

"Halfway down I didn't think they'd get him," said Hill, who was just as chuffed about Baileys Dream's performance as he was about the winner's. "He only knocked up the last twenty metres. And if he'd have had a couple of runs in him, I don't think even Monkey could've got past him."

Hill knows the enormity of such a statement; after all, this is the reigning NZ Cup/NZ Free-For-All/Miracle Mile champion we are talking about here - so it proves that he rates Baileys Dream little, if any, inferior to Monkey King. "I'm probably a bit biased, but if a sound and race-fit Bailey had had the same trips as Monkey did in those three big ones, I reckon he could've won them too. I honestly do."

The only thing spoiling the perfect comeback party for Hill's two pacers on Saturday was Ohoka Dallas, who got shuffled back after being parked early and zoomed home late for a very eye-catching second. A length and a neck separated the three horses at the finish, and Hill walked away knowing that his two were right where he wanted them as the Inter-Dominions draw nearer.

"Monkey was pretty good to go, and because of his following he was more or less expected to win. Which he did, and that was great. But I'm stoked about how Bailey went. He's still a bit big and was probably only about ninety percent, so the run will really tighten him up. And Todd (Mitchell) was pretty happy with him too."

Hill says Monkey King and Baileys Dream are "completely different horses to train", and the latter takes a lot of work. "I didn't miss a beat with him, giving him a serious workout or trial programme of Saturday- Saturday- Wednesday- Saturday prior to his resumption. But you've got to be conscious of keeping him sound too, because you're just as likely to go out there in the morning and find he's sore somewhere. That's what things have been like with him a lot of the time. I know he's eight now, but he's a young eight when you consider how many starts he's had (62). And he's sound at the moment."

Baileys Dream and Monkey King will fly direct to Sydney this time next week where they will be boarding with Hill's good mate Darren Hancock in a township called Pheasant's Nest, which is about an hour and a bit from the city. Two days later the first round of Inter-Dom Heats get underway at Harold Park, then it is onto Newcastle the following Saturday for round two, and Grand Final Day is at Menangle on Sunday, March 7.

"We'll want to be firing and getting points early," says Hill, adding that it is pretty special to be taking across not one but two great horses for such a series.

Monkey King has assumed the role of pinup horse for the industry in this country - mainly because of his emphatic deeds during November, but partly also due to the sub-standard exit from the stage made by Auckland Reactor. At the time when we really needed another hero, the little black rocket from Dancingonmoonlight Farm has filled the void beautifully.

Even last Saturday's racemeeting was dubbed 'The Day Of The Monkey', and his trainer says it's an honour to be part of it all. "It's a really neat feeling. Imagine if he pulled off the Inter-Dominion as well - it'd go dowm in history as one of the greatest seasons ever, and he'd be loved even more. And why couldn't he?"

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 10Feb10

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

2010 UNITED FISHERIES LTD TROTTING FFA

Something very rare happened at Addington on Saturday.

Stylish Monarch won - and paid double figures. This is the horse that usually lines up showing around the $2 mark, thanks to a super-consistent career where he has finished further back than third only 5 times in 21 starts.

Saturday was the son of Monarchy's first real test in the 'big time', and that combined with a tricky second-row draw saw him overlooked in pre-race calculations. After a gem of a drive from Ricky May though, the 6-year-old punched home best to win the $40,000 United Fisheries Ltd Trotting Free-For-All.

"Most of the time he's pretty lazy during the prelim, but today he was really onto it," an impressed May said afterwards. "And usually the good ones have got something wrong with them or some little quirk, but he's foolproof. He's a really nice horse."

It was a stellar moment for Stylish Monarch's trainer Murray Tapper too, winning the biggest race of his training career. "He's the best I've trained, for certain," Tapper said. "And I've had some nice horses before, but nothing like him."

Stylish Monarch is making a habit of taking his owner Anne Patterson and trainer to new heights..he was the first horse to win when the new stabling facility at Addington was opened last May, he won Tapper a race on Cup Day in November, and now he has got a Free-For-All which contained a few prized scalps to his name.

Things aren't going to stop there though, because Tapper's convinced that Stylish Monarch's ready to target one of the biggest cherries of them all - May's Rowe Cup in Auckland. "I've never taken one out of the South Island, I normally head south," Tapper said with a smile. "But he's just a real professional horse. He's got a 'couldn't care less' attitude and the all-round game. He's the sort of horse you dream of, really."

There is one trait that Tapper wishes his star trotter didn't have though, and that is an extreme love of water. "Him and his mate Domination are buggers for playing in it," he says. "You'll go out to the paddock, and if there's any water to be found - sure enough, they'll be splashing around in it. I don't have concrete troughs any more because he has already smashed a couple of those, and he puts his foot right through the plastic ones. So you've just got to be really careful and keep an eye on them."

That responsibility will be David Gaffaney's for the next wee while, as Tapper says he is going to leave Stylish Monarch with the Rangiora horseman for now. "David's going to jog him around the roads and take him to the beach. He will probably have another couple of runs before heading north, and I'd like him to have one or two up there before the Rowe Cup too."





Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 10Feb10

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

2010 PGG WRIGHTSON NZ BREEDERS STAKES

Trevor Proctor and his partner Diane Dynes enjoyed their greatest moment in harness racing when Tact Lizzie romped away with the $80,000 PGG Wrightson NZ Breeders Stakes at Addington last Friday night.

Tact Lizzie didn't just get a suck along behind the pace, sneak up the passing lane and fall in to win by a nose - which you would almost expect when such a time-honoured Group 1 event was won by a $64 outsider. No. She started from the outside of the second row, looped the field with 1000 metres to go, and literally ran her opposition into the ground!

And the icing on the cake? Her winning time of 3 09.4, which represented a stunning mile rate of 1 57.2 for the 2600m mobile and even wiped a name like Mainland Banner from the record books in the process. Moments don't get much better than that. "This is our biggest thrill by a long shot," Proctor said afterwards, "I'm still shaking."

Friday's field probably wasn't the greatest Breeders Stakes line-up possible, with top mares like Kiwi Ingenuity, Lauraella and Special Ops all absent for one reason or another, but any thoughts of the event being 'easier' to win this year soon went out the window when Tact Lizzie drew saddlecloth 14. Even Proctor was almost conceding defeat as he found a spot in the stand. "Pretty much," he said. "From there (14) we'd have been pleased if she finished in the top half of the field, and thought that if she even ran a place it would have been more than what we could ask for."

Tact Lizzie had other ideas, and forever etched her name onto one of Addington's most sought-after trophies for the mares. Proctor admits that it took him a long time to work out a training regime that suits the now 10-win mare, and it is one that goes against the grain. "Hard work," he says. "You hate doing it, but it's just how she is - she loves it. And you can't give her much time off either, because she tends to tie up real bad."

Tact Lizzie is a 5-year-old daughter of Christian Cullen and the New York Motoring mare Tact Hayley. She was bred by Diane's father the late Derek Dynes, and belongs to his tough old Southland breed that has sent forth numerous good horses over the decades. After Derek's passing a couple of years ago, Tact Lizzie is now raced by Diane's mother Bessie.

Proctor has been involved in the sport ever since he moved from Invercargill to Winton in the early 1990's, and worked for Derek initially. "I'm a painter and decoratorby trade - training's just a part-time thing for me," he said. "We've only got the two racehorses; her and Tact Aunty, plus a couple of 3-year-old fillies who qualified recently."

Tact Aunty is the same age as Tact Lizzie, is also by Christian Cullen, and being out of Flash Tactics she belongs to the same family; he and Tact Lizzie have the same fifth dam, Tactics. Flash Tactics was more than capable on the track herself, winning eight times from Derek's stable and finishing in the money behind Flight South (third, NZ Premier Mares' Championship) and Kym's Girl (second, NZ Standardbred Breeders' Stakes) this time nine years ago.

The Premier Mares' Championship tomorrow (Thursday)at Addington is where Tact Lizzie could head next, although Proctor is going to leave making the decision about starting until after he gave her a jog on Sunday. "The 1950 metres probably won't suit her, she's more of a distance horse," he said. "She doesn't give you a great turn of foot, but she does cover the groud deceptively well. And she could be in foal, too. We got her served by McArdle before she came up to stay here at Laurence Hanrahan's, and the vet says she feels like it but he couldn't find the embryo on her scan."

Friday's stunning victory was also the pinnacle to date in the career of driver Stephen McNally.

Tact Lizzie's regular pilot Jonny Cox couldn't get a flight to Christchurch later than 2.00pm that afternoon, and was already committed to six drives at Winton where he thought he had one or two good chances, so Hanrahan went looking for a replacement.

"Laurence rung me last night, and I jumped at the chance," McNally said, adding that the only other time he had sat behind the mare was in last year's Hororata Cup when she missed away. "Driving in races like this is always more of a thrill than normally, because they're Group 1s and go down in the history books - and you're up against nice horses. I knew we were going fast out there, but it didn't quite feel like 3.09. It was a nice wedding present," he said.

McNally will marry his fiancée Rebecca Odering at a chapel in Prebbleton this Saturday, in front of some 200 guests. He and Rebecca have just built a house on the Motukarara property of his parents, opposite the racecourse, and with 10 in work he has got a nice number of horses around him plus he has kept busy doing farrier work as well. "Dad's working for me now."


Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 17Feb10

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

2010 CADUCEUS CLUB of CANTERBURY NZ PREMIER MARES CHAMPIONSHIP

After a disappointing seventh in the previous week’s NZ Breeders Stakes, southerner Beaudiene Bad Babe was back in form on Thursday night at Addington with a win in the Group 2 Caduceus Club of Canterbury Premier Mares Championship. Despite her result in the Group 1 Breeders Stakes, the Murray Brown-trained mare began as warm favourite in an almost identical field which included record-breaking Tact Lizzie.

Drawing barrier two, driver Dexter Dunn elected to ease her quietly out from the gate as the runners outside of Beaudiene Bad Babe sped to the early lead. For the first 750 metres she sat fifth until Tact Lizzie made her move. With a lap to run, Tact Lizzie surged to the front with Beaudiene Bad Babe moving to sit parked.

Tact Lizzie led them into the straight, however her huge run last week started to show as she tired. Dunn took advantage of this and kicked Beaudiene Bad Babe into top gear. She sped to the lead as her opponents tried to chase her down. But her lead was too big and she finished three-quarters-of-a-length in front of Trigirl Brigade. A close finish saw current Diamond Harness Jewels leader Crystal Star, finish in third by a nose.

The Invercargill-based four-year-old now sits on 16 lifetime wins from her 30 starts. During her three seasons of racing, she has earned $207,752 in stakes which include two Group 2 wins.

Credit: Harness Racing New Zealand