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There were some big winners from the 2007 Chirstchurch Casino NZ Free-For-All, for instance: it was Dean Taylor's first Group 1 success; Waipawa Lad ran the mobile 200m in 2:22, which smashed the NZ record of 2:22.9 set by Yulestar in 2002; it gave sire Live Or Die his fourth winner on Show Day (others being Stay N Alive, Mark Antony and Runnin Outa Excuses); it was Mark Jones's third winner for the day, and while two were achieved with a supreme level of confidence in the abilities of Roburascal and Trotupastorm, the win with Waipawa Lad came from calculated brilliance.

Waipawa Lad was not one of the favourites, not after he had run ninth in the NZ Trotting Cup three days earlier; his 4:01 wasn't in the ballpark. That didn't faze Jones much. He had won 13 races with Waipawa Lad, and all but one had been sprints. He was third in the Free-For-All last year. Taylor gave owners Ron and Colin Bennett encouragement. "Dean said if we're ever going to win a Free-For-All, this will be it," said Ron.

In the form he was in, Jones could chance his arm and get away with it. And this is what he would do. Waipawa Lad flew the gate and made Baileys Dream work hard to lead him. Close-up Changeover had a tough run in the open, and further back, Monkey King had a tougher one three-wide without cover. Neither figured later, Changeover running ninth, five lengths from the winner, and Monkey King was a place and half a length behind him.

The owners of Waipawa Lad are retired Taranaki dairy farmers who now live in Christchurch. They had never raced a horse before until they bought Waipawa Lad as a weanling for $7500 from Nevele R Stud. Ron had met Taylor during the 2000 Inter-Dominions in Brisbane. "I used to bet on his horses, so I went up to him and asked him how you got started in getting a horse. I said I didn't have any money, so Dean said well we'd have to get something cheap. After a few months he phoned me up and said I'd better get to Nevele R because they were selling ones that had just been weaned. There was a paddock full of them, but I got it down to four or five and then just two. I was looking for one with big ears and a bit of room under the jaw and a wide nostril. Dean had to go to a funeral, so he just left me there," he said.

The one Ron left behind was Brownie Points, who did a job but not to the level Waipawa Lad has. Waipawa Lad is the first horse the Bennetts have raced, but now they have another and the reports are encouraging. "The stud phoned us and asked if we'd like to buy Waipawa Lad's half-brother by Red River Hanover for $15,000. We have done that, and we're told he's better than Waipawa Lad when he was at the same stage," he said.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 21Nov07

Mark Purdon and Grant Payne enjoyed three wins last Friday at Addington, with the top performer Classic Cullen producing the third. His win in the Group 3 Fitness Canterbury Classic ensured the big gelding a spot in the Christchurch Casino NZ Trotting Cup.

Starting well, Classic Cullen settled mid-field while warhorse Flashing Red worked forward to take up the lead and set a solid pace. With 600 metres to go driver Mark Purdon made his move with the talented pacer, in a driving finish Classic Cullen won by a neck over a luckless Waipawa Lad for second with Bondy impressing in third position.

Last year’s NZ Cup winner Flashing Red settled for fifth place. Classic Cullen is now at odds of $5.50 second favourite behind Changeover to win the cup.

Credit: HRNZ

Before the running of the Paul Renwick Kitchen and Joinery Free-For-All at Addington on Friday night there was one question on punters lips. Would Auckland Cup winner Mi Muchacho re-live his horror Addington debut in November? The second question was simply if he doesn't handle the home turn bend, who beats the favourite home?

Punters answered the riddle correctly when their second elect Imagine That fought bravely to take out the feature event on Friday night. But the race was not without drama.

Looking slightly awkward in his gait, Mi Muchacho loomed to sit parked outside of Imagine That in the running and when racing around the home bend the favourite appeared to be stopping. He retreated to be approximately three lengths from the leader on the turn before straightening up and charging again. Pacing strongly Imagine That maintained her advantage over the opposition, holding off the fast finishing favourite by a half-head at the finish. Waipawa Lad did well to rally into third just ahead of Bailey's Dream.

Mi Muchacho had to withstand an enquiry after it appeared he had cut off Bella's Boy in the run home. The JCA later dismissed the protest and the connections were issued with a warning to improve his racing manners.

The victory was a great way for Imagine That to lead into this Saturday's $100,000 Easter Cup. She paced the 2600m mobile in 3.13.6, recording a mile rate of 1.59.8 and the final 800m and 400m in 56.8 and 28.2 respectively.

Imagine That has now tallied 15 wins from 46 career starts. She has placed on 19 occasions and has earned just over $375,000 in stakes.

Credit: Harness Racing NZ

2004 WYATT & WILSON PRINT SUPERSTARS 4YO CHAMPIONSHIP

The Wyatt & Wilson Print Superstars 4yo Championship again lived up to its billing as one of the most exhilarating races on the Addington calendar. The 2004 edition was no exception with another uppercut for the favourites, dashing moves that backfired, a tight finish, and a race that again tripped the backmarkers.

It all made for great theatre, and marvellous action, and the hero in the end was the unsung, quiet achiever, Chris Riley. In his favour was a quick start from a front line draw and busy midrace activity by Likmesiah, Born Again Christian, Lennon and Waipawa Lad that eventually brought them to heel.

Colin De Filippi had Chris Riley second early, behind Jimmy Kelly, but lost his place as Born Again Christian went forward. There was more push and bustle from the 1200 metres, then Mark Jones suddenly shot off at great speed with Waipawa Lad that took him to a clear lead near the 600 metres. The winning post was still a small monument in the distance when Waipawa Lad started to buckle and battle 200m out. The boys in blue had arrived back on the scene by then, but Lennon, Born Again Christian and their tiring stablemate had a new enforcer with them, De Filippi hunting up with Chris Riley. He came with a rattling good run that took him past Lennon by a neck, with a neck back to Born Again Christian. "Waipawa Lad opened them up for me. That really made it for us," said De Filippi. Mark Purdon said the sprint by Waipawa Lad "took the punch out of" Born Again Christian.

Chris Riley is raced by the Southern Men Syndicate - Murray Stuart, Warren Hamilton, Robin Jenkins, Noel Costello, Clark McLean, John Davis, Richard Hall, Robert Davis, Rod Moffat and Chris Widdon who had asked De Filippi to find them a suitable horse. De Filippi cautioned them to be patient. "I kept in touch with them until I drove Chris Riley at Blenheim and liked him. I drove him again at Greymouth, and thought then that he was the horse for them," he said. De Filippi, who trains the son of Christian Cullen in partnership with his wife Julie and is also a member of the syndicate, knew he was putting the horse in at the deep end. "I didn't really expect him to beat them tonight," he said.

Previous surprise winners of the race include Anvilanunoit ($27), Glen Lustre ($77), Lucky Boy ($19), Pathfinder ($41), Defoe ($22) and The Orator ($18).

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 13Oct04