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2013 SEELITE WINDOWS & DOORS SIRES' STAKES 2YO TROTTERS CHAMPIONSHIP

With four starters involved in the G2 Seelite Windows & Doors Sires' Stakes 2yo Trotters Championship at Addington on Saturday, Trevor Casey always held a strong hand, particularly after One Over Da Moon galloped his way out of contention from the start. And Casey got the perfect result when Daenerys Targaryen, the filly he bred and races on his own account, led from start to finish.

This was always the likely outcome after the beautiful and substantial Majestic Son filly drew the pole and One Over Da Moon had become overly keen in the score up and his gallop resulted in the crupper coming loose along with his remaining gear. With regular driver Ricky May back at the helm, Daenerys Targaryen easily held the lead and May sent them along at a solid clip before easily holding them all at bay with a final quarter in 28.3. The time of 2:28.8 was some way off Sheemon's race and national record 2:25.5 from last year, but May had only gone as fast as he needed.

Apart from precocious ability, Daenerys Targaryen's greatest assets have been her temperament and manners. She has now raced six times for three wins and three seconds, only being beaten by stablemate Not About The Money and One Over Da Moon in the Trotting Stakes. "I don't think she's ever put a foot wrong at home either," said Casey. "We knew she was good from the time Maree Price broke her in - she's usually right," he added.

Daenerys Targaryen is the sixth foal and fifth winner from broodmare revelation Niamey, the dam also of Casey's Jewels winner Pocaro (3, 1:57.5, 13 NZ wins, $233,000) and Springbank Sam (13 NZ wins, $223,000 to date), a last start second in the Rowe Cup. Casey recalled that he had been involved in racing Niamey for a few starts with trainer-driver Ken Barron and Gary Allen, but she had shown nothing and his partners weren't keen to breed. "She was actually pretty close to getting her head chopped off, but as a sister to Africa, I figured I would breed a couple of foals (Lord Nelson and Pacaro). Then Gary decided to breed a couple. He got Ugly Betty and then after I'd told him how good Pocaro was as a yearling, he put Niamey back to Sundon and got Springbank Sam (sold at Premier Sale)."

Casey then bred another brother to the latter in the placed 3yo Sun of Anarchy along with Daenerys Targaryen, although Niamey has only left one foal since in a weanling colt by The Pres. She is now in foal to Muscle Mass for Allen.

Trouble Rieu, a useful looking stayer in the making, stuck on well for second after sitting parked throughout and got a good reward for his effort to finish ahead of the winner's stablemates Twentyten, Hot Pants and Dieu De L'Amour, who were all close up.

But the Jewels is now looking like a race in two and One Over Da Moon will need to get things right. "There's a race at Addington next week for Daenerys Targaryen which will be a nice lead up to the Jewels. "She's in the Breeders Crown, but like most we'll just be looking to get through the Jewels before deciding anything about that. The way the costs are in going to the Crown, you pretty much need to win the thing."


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 15May2013

2013 GLENFERRIE FARM 2YO TROTTING STAKES

Lex and Heather Williams were having mixed emotions after the first foal from their outstanding trotting mare One Over Kenny - One Over Da Moon - had caused a minor upset in Saturday night's NZ 2yo Trotting Stakes at Addington.

While the result was far from any sort of complete surprise in an event which was expected to be dominated by the Mark Purdon-trained pair of Not About The Money and Daenerys Targaryen, after One Over Da Moon had gone a very good trial with David Butt driving for the first time at Motukarara the prior Monday, the Williams' couldn't be on had to see it. "We had to be at a relative's wedding in Dunedin, so that was all a bit of a disaster," said Lex.

Things had not gone exactly right for One Over Da Moon in two prior races, with greenness a not unexpected issue with these youngsters, but the small but strong chestnut colt gave a faultless display on this occasion. Butt was able to easily hold the lead from barrier one and after trotting along at an even 2:00 clip, One Over Da Moon held on to score by three parts of a length over Daenerys Targaryen with the rank outsider Trouble Rieu sticking on strongly for third.

Odds on favourite Not About The Money was fourth in a gap of four lengths after moving up to sit parked from the 1400m. "He was overracing - that's why I had to move up from the one-one," said Blair Orange. "He didn't settle at all and can do that, but he'll keep," he added.

Not About The Money's keenness pushed One Over Da Moon to a new race record of 2:26.2, which easily beat Habibti's 2:27.8 from last year. And it wasn't that far off Sheemon's track & NZ record of 2:25.5, set in last year's Sires Stakes in May.

Much of the credit for One Over Da Moon's success was being aimed at young Matt Purvis, who has been handling Paul Nairn's team while he was campaigning Stig in Australia and away for the best part of a month. Nairn only got back on Tuesday of last week, so had also missed the Mot trial. "When they were running along with quarters in 30, I wasn't sure if he was ready for that, but Davy (Butt) obviously had it figured out," said Nairn. Purvis, a son of John, has been working with Nairn for almost two years, after a prior stint with Greg Hope.

Nairn has had One Over Da Moon since he was broken in by John Versteeg. "He's always been a small but stroppy and strong colt. He has quite a bit of fold in his action, but he still has speed and can stay, so I think he could be alright." One Over Da Moon, from Majestic Son's first crop, as a result of shuttling, is an embryo transfer from a time when One Over Kenny was still racing, having missed that season in an attempt with Muscles Yankee's frozen semen.

One Over Kenny, the only trotting mare in Australasia to win over a million dollars, was still racing in Auckland when One Over Da Moon was born. She then visited Pegusus Spur and has a chestnut yearling colt by him called One Over Dover, but she missed last season to services by Muscles Yankee and The Pres, before going in foal this season to Love You.

Williams is excited by the prospect of a chestnut filly by him, but in the meantime, it is One Over Da Moon that will be providing all the excitement needed. He has a Sires Stakes Prelude at Addington on Friday week with the final a month later and then the Jewels. "He's also Breeders Crown eligible but I haven't spoken to Paul about that yet," said Lex. "In fact I haven't spoken to Paul about much at all, come to think of it," he added.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 4Apr13