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2000 GIANNIS PITA BREAD CANTERBURY PARK TROTTING CUP

Lyell Creek added another '1' to his formline with a powerful burst in the straight to beat the stablemates Buster Hanover and Sundon's Way in the Giannis Pita Bread Canterbury Park Trotting Cup.

The trotting champion made a lightning beginning from 35m, was given a trailing run just off the pace by Anthony Butt, and then showed his strength to race clear. Buster Hanover, a breaker, ran second, passing his stablemate Sundon's Way, with pacemaker One Kenny tiring to fourth.

The picture shows driver and part-owner Anthony Butt, part-owner Graham Bruton and tainer Tim Butt. Their youthful supporters are 8-year-old James Butt, son of David and Catherine Butt, and Christopher Butt, son of Anthony and Karen.

Lyell Creek's next start is in the $25,000 Ashburton Trust Trotter's Flying Mile on Labour Day where he is expected to open out and run a time of near 1:55.

Credit: Harness Racing Weekly

2000 NOBILO WINES LTD

An advertisement in the 'Weekly' has given Russell Beardsley, Colin Hay and Bill Eggleton seats they never thought they would have. In the area that says 'Owners Only' that is where they will be. It will be Cup Day at Addington, the race will be the Canterbury Draught NZ Cup, and the three old rugby mates from the Pioneer club in Gore will be there as a result of that $30 spend.

Some time before that they had met Ashburton trainer Laurence Hanrahan, and they had asked Hanrahan to find them a horse. The three of them had been in and out of horses since forming a syndicate with other Pioneer boys in 1976, and by the time they got to Hanrahan, seven had dropped out. Two of them had been in banks and Hay was in the construction business. Beardsley was in Ashburton after achieving his aim of retiring when he was 50.

In any event, Hanrahan found them a gelding by Oblivion II which obviously had some extra appeal as he was by the same sire as Hanrahan's flagship horse, New Age Man, who was unbeaten in 13 starts, and said they should "give it a go." This was little more than two years ago, and when The Tough Nut ran 2400m in 3:01 and a half in 56 before he qualified they knew they were on to something. Other than a slight hitch in his form a year ago, The Tough Nut has handled every class with comfort. Last November, The Tough Nut started a winning sequence of eight, and the partners recall Hanrahan telling them: "I have changed his feed, his work and his gear; something has worked but I'm not sure what and I'm not changing."

He has now raced just 30 times and won 14, the latest at Addington last Friday night when he accounted for Ouch and six Cup nominees in the 1950m Nobilo Wines. He trailed Happy Asset, who left the gate at speed and led as he has done before over this trip, and Kym's Girl was behind and Ouch was further back with Annie's Boy. The Tough Nut was the first danger to Happy Asset and gradually got the better of him. Wider out, Ouch - who has since been treated for a corn problem - got cracking late and finished strongly to grab second a nose back. Kym's Girl was third, looking unlucky, but again putting herself in the frame for a prize of some note over Cup Week. The time is running out for Ouch who has three more chances to qualify for the Cup, but it appears up to the challenge. OK Oskar, who was sent to the outside of the gate, Tartan Lady and Seafield Raider have some form to find.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18Oct00

2000 ANTHONY SHEARER LTD/ PINK BATTS ORDEAL TROTTING CUP

WOW! That is one way to describe Lyell Creek's Ordeal Trotting Cup win. Here is another...four and three wide early before changing down a gear to take the lead after 600 metres, sped along, coasted clear.

What Lyell Creek did when resuming on friday night left everyone shaking their heads in disbelief. On a cold night he went head-first into a stiff easterly three times, yet he still managed to trot his 2600m mobile event in 3:16.5 - and threw in a final 800 metre split of 27.5 for good measure. But wait, there is more...he absolutely jogged it!

All this just goes to show that Lyell Creek has returned as good as, if not better than, last season, and it is no wonder trainer Tim Butt found it hard to hold back a smile after the event. "You always know what he is capable of," Butt said, realising the enormity of Lyell Creek's performance at this early stage of the season. "He is the sort of horse that no matter what he does, it doesn't surprise you. And he has trotted so much sweeter tonight, that was the most pleasing part for me. We put new shoes on him in front, just a bit of fine-tuning, and they are a little bit lighter and a bit squarer in the toe. In the past he has always trotted best when his shoes were almost worn out," he said.

Despite drawing wide last Friday, Butt and his brother Anthony had a pre-race plan to press forward. "With Europe and America in mind, we are conscious of him not losing any ground at the start of a mobile race. At this stage we don't want him to become a gate hummer either though, he will end up chasing it all the time otherwise. Just seeing the way he came through his event tonight stands him in good stead for Sweden too, because he will have to race twice in a day over there. He looks like he could go out there and do it again."

Last year, Lyell Creek's connections tackled some minor races along the way but their main focus was on the bigger picture... firstly the Dominion Handicap; mainly the Inter-Dominion Final, and lastly the Rowe Cup. Some of his races were lead-up events to the main goals, so even though he won them, in a way we would not have been worried if he didn't," Butt said. "Like that Cup Day run when he beat One Kenny...that brought him on another ten to twenty percent for the Dominion Handicap and the next time we worked him he was just a different horse.

"And then there was the Dullard Cup. That was still a month away from the Inter-Dominion Final so he was not much more than about eighty percent fit. That night he was four and three-wide before sitting parked, he dished it up to Special Force, skipped clear on the turn and held on, breaking the track record by two seconds. Some people said that he fell in to win, but in the context of what stage his preparation was at it was a huge run," Butt said.

This season things are only slightly different; 'Team Lyell Creek' are still concentrating on the bigger picture, but they are pretty keen on keeping the trotter's winning streak in tact too. After last Friday, this now stands at 17.

During the week leading up to Lyell Creek's resumption, Anthony Butt purchased a quarter share in the gelding off owner Graham Bruton. "We had talked about this fo 12 months," Bruton said. "I offered Ants a share in Lyell Creek because I thought if he was going to be spending all that time with the horse overseas he may as well be bringing in a bit more than his five percent as a driver."


Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 20Sep00

2000 ROYDON LODGE STUD NZ TROTTING STAKES

Allan Georgeson finally knows what it's like to be on the other side of the fence. He and his wife Laraine and their friend Robert Rendel have been thrown into the spotlight as the owners of the top trotter Dependable. With the success comes a fair amount of pressure too, but that is a problem Georgeson doesn't mind having to live with.

"The night he broke in the NRM Trotters Championship Laraine and I were at Addington, and a crowd of people in front of us cheered when they saw him go up in the air. We have all started horses in races where you might hope the hot favourite breaks up, because that gives you more of a chance. I know what that is like," he said.

That infamous night back on May 5 has been Dependable's only glitch though, and last Friday he secured his first major title when winning the $25,000 Roydon Lodge NZ Trotting Stakes. "This is a race I really wanted to win," Georgeson claimed. "Camelot Chief contested the event for us back in 1990. I thought he was good enough to win it but he had a bit of bad luck and finished second to Born To Trot, so it was nice to come back with another one and win the event. Everybody strives for that good horse. This time, we might finally have one."

Bred by Keith and Bevan Grice, Dependable was leased to the Georgesons and Rendel when just six months old. Educated by Mark Smolenski, Allan says his Sundon gelding started to show that something special right from the word go. "Mark told me in June last year that Dependable was going to be extra," he said. "He spent 12 months - hours and hours every day - making this horse and if anyone deserves a big pat on the back it is Mark. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to him."

Dependable's trainer Fred Fletcher says that everything the gelding is doing, he's doing it easy. "He is just getting better and better," Fletcher said. "He can run, and he is such a good stayer, and what I also like about him is his heart rate is so good. He's such a big fellow though and at some stage they need to have a break. He could really have a huge 3-year-old year next season."


Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 24May00

2000 CIVIC VIDEO SIRES' STAKES SERIES No.17 (FINAL)

The ATC Trot 2000 Syndicate's fairytale season finished with a flourish when Matai Mackenzie won the $144,000 Civic Video NZ Sires' Stakes Final at Addington. In what Syndication Manager Rob Carr described as a dream come true, Matai Mackenzie put the lid on a remarkable 1999/2000 term by collecting their biggest cheque yet - $86,400 and a Group 1 victory to boot.

It was a fitting result for the Auckland Trotting Club, who deserve all the credit they get for developing such a simple but so effective form of horse ownership which has introduced hundreds of new faces into the sport of harness racing. The club's three 50-share syndicates are the brainchild of Vice-President Steve Stockman, and the results from their first season of racing are nothing short of astonishing.

The Trot 2000 Syndicate, the second one up and running, bought Matai Mackenzie, Parisian Falcon and Moschino for a total of $74,000 from last year's sales. All 2-year-olds, to date they have collectively had 17 starts for seven wins, eight placings and $272,535; Moschino having not made it to the racetrack yet.

The 1999/2000 term has also been the first for the Club's first syndicate, Trotpower, whose three 3-year-olds Perspicuous, Highview Nero and Midnight Rumpus didn't race at two but have netted seven wins, six placings and $28,396 from 20 appearances on the track. The trio cost $62,000 at the previous year's sales.

And syndicate number three, Trot 2001, is half a dozen places away from being full. Their purchases from the sales earlier this year were Dirt Rider (c Falcon Seelster-Chiavari, $20,000)and being trained by John and David Butcher; Bing (c Soky's Atom-Dispron, $27,000) in Barry Purdon's barn; and Chocks Away (c Soky's Atom-Take Wing, $20,000 Geoff Small.

"This year has really been unbelievable," Carr said. "The syndicate members at Addington on Friday night were just fizzing, there was so much fun and excitement - and that is what this game is all about. The success of the syndicates is due mainly to the formula; three top trainers get to select a yearling of their choice from the sales, and there is three horses in each syndicate as well."

Carr paid tribute to a masterful drive by Tony Herlihy. Many probably thought the ace reinsman would look for a sit from his wide draw, but instead he speared Matai Mackenzie out to reach the front early and waited for Hero to come round. "He can really come out of the gate if I ask him to," Herlihy confirmed. "It was a good effort, because he did a bit to get that handy sit early but still had enough to run down Hero at the finish. Hero had beaten us fair and square the previous week, when my bloke took a while to wind up; I don't think there is much between the two and City Rogue," he said.

Herlihy said Matai Mackenze's greatest attributes were his gait and attitude. "He is such a relaxed bugger; he is a natural racehorse. Given a bit of a break now he should come back a real nice racehorse next season.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 17May00

2000 PGG NZ YEARLING SALES SERIES 2YO (OPEN)

Some say luck has nothing to do with success; Wayne Ross begs to differ. Ross has continued to churn out champion after champion in recent years, but he shrugs off his success with these horses by saying luck has played a part in each of them. "I have just tried to reach a niche, and be regarded as a trainer of good young stock," he said.

Ross reached a pinnacle last year when he won 14 2-year-old races with his two fillies Tupelo Rose and Adios Dream, a feat which has never been achieved before. "The breed is the key," he says, adding that so is having owners that are prepared to buy into top bloodlines. "The spin off from having horses like Courage Under Fire and Tupelo Rose go through your stable is you end up being offered a better style of horse. And that is lucky," he said.

Ross might consider himself fortunate to be training his latest exciting juvenile Hero, but that eventuated moreso because of a good reputation than good fortune. Ross was at last year's Karaka Sales when his phone rang, and on the other end was a guy he had never met before called Bruno Papa. Papa wanted Ross's opinion of the In The Pocket-Alba Belle colt that was Lot 68, and Ross reported back that he looked like a nice type. After Hero went through the ring and was knocked down for $50,000, Ross received another call from Papa, who told him to take Hero home because he had bought him and wanted Ross to train the colt.

Now a gelding and raced in the name of Papa's wife Maria, Hero won his third race in five starts when leading from end to end in the $155,730 PGG Yearling Sales Series Open. An afterwards Ross used that 'luck' word again, saying that everything the 2-year-old wins this season is a bonus. "It is just his size," Ross continued. "At this stage he is like a big, overgrown kid and so unco-ordinated. He is a very proud horse though, and he holds himself very well. He has got a beautiful pacing action and that is why he looksl ike he is going in slow motion out there. He wears a 62-inch hopple, and that is big for a 2-year-old; I have never had a young horse go in a hopple that long before."

Ross has already had his share of 'fun' during Hero's brief career, with occasions like the gelding's debut at Motukarara when he lay down on the track still firmly etched in the memory. "He just didn't want to be there that day," Ross recalled. "But we had no option. I needed him to get some raceday form and he did that by finishing fourth. He won the Yearling Sales Graduate next start, but after that his blood was off and he pulled a flat tyre all the way in the Sires' Stakes heat at Addington. "He has been a bit difficult to train and a bit wayward, but all the time he is becoming more and more settled and more professional in his approach."

Ross believes Hero will let down into a magnificent individual in time. "I think he will be a good juvenile that ends up going all the way," he said. "He is not a natural 2-year-old, and lightly raced at three I think he will be an even better 4-year-old. He is dying to grow into his big frame, and after the Sires' Stakews Final he will be going out for a spell." The Ohoka horseman says this week's event will be an even harder task, with the draw once again playing a critical role. "Kevin (Townley, driver) said tonight was the best he has paced and the best he has driven yet. His blood still wasn't completely right either, so I think he will be even better again this week.

While only Bruno Papa was on-course to witness Hero's Yearling Sales Series victory, both he and Maria will be back again for this week's event. The couple manage a large cafe-type restaurant in Melbourne called The Fisherman's Bakehouse, which caters for over 200 people in a single sitting.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 10May00

George Calvert congratulates Todd Mitchell

2000 GEORGE CALVERT CLEANING EASTER CUP

Young Cambridge reinsman Todd Mitchell is Addington's un-disputed Cup's King after winning his third Group One on the course in the past year. Mitchell, a fine advertisement for harness racing with not only his enthusiasm, won last year's Easter and New Zealand Cups with Homin Hosed, and will more than likely get the chance to repeat that double with this year's $100,000 George Calvert Cleaning Easter Cup winner Fact Non Verba.

Mitchell could have had a difficult decision to make in November, but Homin Hosed will not be around after a recent diagnosis for a foot problem which put him in a paddock for three months and on the sideline for at least six. Facta Non Verba also has a foot problem, but has for some time and it is unlikely to stop him in the near future. Rather he is now likely to head to Brisbane for features such as the Winter Cup. Facta Non Verba's problem is akin to a quarter crack and while he was quite sore last week, it is not as serious.

The Tuapeka Knight gelding, who has been staying with Nigel McGrath in recent weeks, had a wedge fitted to the heel of the foot and while not 100% last Saturday and feeling it on the home turn, he was much happier than the previous week. "The sting being out of the track helped a lot," said Mitchell.

The 5-year-old has certainly come a long way in a short time since he began Mitchell's association with trainers Mike Berger and Warren Rich by winning his debut at Cambridge at odds of 34 to one 22 months ago, 33 starts, 11 wins, 16 placings and $148,325 to be precise. "There didn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary about him then," said Mitchell.

Facta Non Verba, impressive in his Addington debut earlier this month, obviously has the equipment now to be a factor in November. From barrier one, he began best and Mitchell made race favourite The Tough Nut work overtime for the lead - a tactic which ultimately may well have decided the outcome. With the first mile passed in a leisurely 2:08 and the pace poured on from the 800m, those beyond the leading division had no chance. Happy Asset, not happy with the tempo and up to sit in the open from 1500m, was brave, but Facta Non Verba used his speed and the passing lane to score by a length in 4:08.2, the slowest Easter Cup since Microscopic's 4:10.1 in 1989. Under Cover Lover, after pulling for much of the race, ripped into her work in fine style late in the piece to shade The Tough Nut for third.


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 27Apr00

2000 PYNE GOULD GUINNESS NZ YEARLING SALES 3YO TROT

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

Kym's Girl wins from Under Cover Lover

2000 CANTERBURY DRAUGHT NZ STANDARDBRED BREEDERS STAKES

Last Friday's feature at Addington once again belonged to Kym's Girl and her driver Colin De Filippi. The dynamic duo continuously make the headlines with their well-timed finishes, but Friday's sizzling late burst to nab runaway leader Under Cover Lover in the $75,000 Canterbury Draught NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes could not have been scripted better in the movies.

Settling three wide on the outer, Kym's Girl sat there until the home turn when she was asked to move - and even that was a lot earlier than De Filippi wanted. "I had to get around Joan's Gift, and I was a bit worried about Hawera on our backs but she didn't stick with us," De Filippi said. "Under Cover Lover had a few lengths on us with 100m to go, and I wasn't overly confident about picking her up because she is a very good mare. But when I saw Anthony (Butt) look round I thought we had a show."

Trained by David Miller at Motukarara, Kym's Girl has now won 13 from 42, for stakes of just under $150,000. She will be kept for the Easter Cup, then go out for a spell as her connections look towards November's NZ Cup. She is by the Towner's Big Guy stallion Man Around Town, who really has made the most of limited opportunities at stud here. Man Around Town has left two winners from his first crop of only seven foals (now 6-year-olds), including Kiwi John (Aus 1:57.3, $200,000); Kym's Girl (13 wins) and All Around (7) are two of four winners from a second crop of nine foals (5yos); one of Man Around Town's three 4-year-olds is a winner, and he has only for 3-year-olds on the ground. Since 1992/93 Man Around Town has served books of 15, 14, 11, 12, 25, 24, 45 and 52 this season.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly22Mar00

Stars And Stripes defeats Falcon's Blue Jean & London Express

1999 NRM SIRES' STAKES 3YO FINAL

The finish to Cup Day's $150,000 NRM Sires' Stakes Final was full of stars and stripes. The horse by that name was there in the photo, but so were the colours - John Lischner's pink and black stripes, and Mark Purdon's royal blue with grey stars.

There have been numerous titanic battles between the two great horsmen, in training premierships as well as individual races, and Tuesday's 3-year-old event was no exception. This time it was Lischner's representative that got the biggest plum, Stars And Stripes holding gamely to the lead that Purdon's runner Falcon's Blue Jean ate into with a big home straight finish. Lischner had three horses in the Final, which is a unique achievement in itself. Outside of them filling the quinella or trifecta, probably his biggest wish was for the result that eventuated - winning, with Purdon's horse second.

"He is the best mate I've got in the industry," Lischner said afterwards. "We even baby sat his house when he was away on his honeymoon, and when we sent Emcee up north in the late-80s that gave him his first drive on a Cup class horse," he recalled. Talking of Emcee, he ran second in Megatrend's Sires' Stakes Final, and it is something he will never forget.
"With Stars And Stripes we had the perfect draw, and we got the perfect run - this is just one of those moments that you will always treasure."

There were a few anxious moments for the country's leading trainer though; right-hand-man and driver Ken Barron sat patiently three-back on the outer before making his move 600 metres out, and the New York Motoring gelding quickly zipped up to the leaders. "He was in front within a matter of strides, and I thought he had got to the lead too easy and too soon. I was hoping he wouldn't knock off once he was in front - he has done it in the past and it has cost him races. We have tried him in front at home and he is just no good, so Ken has had to change his style a bit when he drives this one," Lischner said, smiling.

The Ashburton horseman has never shelved his opinion of Stars And Stripes, freely admitting that he is the best that has been through the stable since Tartan Clansman. That former top pacer won nine races and was in the money 21 out of 27 times but never reached open class, so why the big wrap? "He set a New Zealand 2200m record in the wet at Alexandra Park, and four months later in the Superstars Final here at Addington he lost at least 70 metres at the start and still beat Master Musician - and that was in the wet too. I haven't seen too many horses do that."

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 11Nov99