| FEATURE RACE COMMENT |
YEAR: 2000
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Godsun picked a fine time to break through for his maiden success when he took out the $50,000 PGG NZ Yearling Sales 3yo Trot.
In what was a virtual replay of their previous clash on the course, except in the reverse order, Godsun and Colin De Filippi staved off the game challenge of Flip Flop to pocket almost $27,000 plus trophies in his seventh raceday start. And the success was fully deserved after Godsun had sat parked outside Cambridge visitor Classic Wizzer Dee before going on to score by a neck in 2:28.1, which bettered Sunning's national record by over a second.
It was by far the biggest payday for Ashburton trainer Tony Soal, who races the Chiola Hanover chestnut with Neil Scott, a semi retired Ashburton sheep farmer, and a long way from the day when the latter watched the gelding get passed in at the sales for $2500. "I had gone to the sales with no intention of buying a horse," recalls Scott. "This fellow caught my eye, but I thought he would go for over $10,000. When he was passed in, I went back to Ian (Cameron, vendor) on the second day and asked if he had been sold," he added. When Cameron said no, business was quickly done.
For Soal, who has been training on his own account for about 10 years after working for Pat O'Reilly, this was his biggest moment in what is a belated career. His previous best horse was the trotter Alias Al, who won seven without threatening open class. "I have not had a lot to work with and certainly 'no big money men' until Neil came along," said Soal with a grin. However, Soal's training rates have kept him ticking over with owners to a point where he has not ony Godsun, but at least another dozen in work to keep him busy.
For Scott, Godsun also provided him with his biggest thrill, although he can claim a 1/25th share in the NZ Cup won by Soundoration at Riccarton a few years ago. More recently, Soal and Scott have had some measure of success with two previous yearling sale purchases in Motu Mister Fame and Ado's Lucky Dip, but in Godsun they have much to look forward to after last week had looked rather grim. "You would not have given two bob for him the way he worked on Monday," said Soal. "He has had a skin problem, but I changed his feed, and he worked a lot better on Wednesday," he added.
Soal said he always believed Godsun had the potential to be a very good horse and it was just a matter of time. "He has always had the speed, it was just a matter of getting his head right. Early on, we had a trotter by Sundon which looked by far the better, but this fellow has really put it together just lately. He will line up in the Trotting Stakes now, but I will probably send him for a spell after that. He needs more time and I don't think you will see the best of him for another six months yet. The Sundon horse is at home in a paddock right now, but I guess it is time to bring him back in now," said Soal.
Godsun proved the first leg of a notable treble for the inform De Filippi. Before long, De Filippi had also won the fourth heat of the Civic Video Sires' Stakes Series with Miami Beach and expertly used the passing lane to have Special Force home with ease in the $30,000 NZ Trotting Championship in what was his first win since Europe.
Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 19Apr00
YEAR: 2001
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On paper, Sunease had cost the least and won the least leading into the PGG Yearling Sales Series Trot. But in less than two and a half minutes, he made a mockery of those two statistics and carried away the biggest slice of the $40,000 prize.
Driven by co-trainer Derek Balle, Sunease sat patiently in the trail as All Action Son and hot-favourite Castleton's Mission undid themselves in front. When the time came for Balle and his gelding to get serious rounding the home bend, they picked up their rivals with big strides and won convincingly. Sunease's time of 2:28.1 equalled Godsun's 3-year-old colts and geldings mark set in April last year.
Raced by Balle's parents Ken and Dawn along with Paul Tenwolde and Euan Lawrie, Sunease cost the quartet only $6000 when purchased at the Sales. None of the four were on-course to witness the victory, but they all showed up at the Balle and Ian Small stable in Pukekohe
the next morning, understandably bubbling about the performance. Small accepted that Castleton's Mission was the standout in the race, but he didn't think it was going to be a benefit for him. "All Sunease had to do was trot all the way and I thought he would win, especially the way he had worked the previous Sunday," Small said.
Small and Balle are in their first full season as training partners, and their combination is working well as there have been 15 victories from the stable so far this term. "Sunease was pretty smart right from the start," Small continued. "He was a really big yearling when he was broken in, and was head-strong with it. We took him to Christchurch as a two-year-old but he was experiencing growing pains and didn't trot that good. Turned out and gelded, he is really starting to fill into his big frame now."
Commenting on Sunease's turn of foot, Small believes the gelding has got a lot more high speed than Martina H, who is also 3-year-old trotter that has been in sparkling form for the royal blue and white silks this season. "Martina H is a nice sort that goes out there and does the job properly, but I still think Sunease would be quicker than her. He has always had a good gear - it is just been a case of getting his head around this racing game."
Both trotters will fly the Balle/Small flag in the NZ Trotting Stakes this Saturday night, and then they are off to Melbourne to chase more of the riches on offer in their age group. "From what I hear, Sunease was jumping out of his skin the next morning, so he should go well again this week," Small said.
Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 11Apr01