 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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| Part-owners Hazel Van Opzeeland & Glenys Kennard celebrate with Blair Orange |
Highview Tommy picked a hard race to kick off his 4-year-old season in - the $40,000 Group 2 Avon City Ford Superstars Championship - and he won it the hard way too, sitting parked for the last lap and winning in the hands of Blair Orange. The Bettor's Delight entire found plenty when it counted though, and went within half a second of his own stablemate Fiery Falcon's national record when he scored in 3.13.9.
"Blair reckons he seems to be trying a lot harder this time in, and is more enthusiastic," part-trainer Mark Purdon said. "He now does a lot of his work with 'Mack' (Auckland Reactor) though, and he really has to work to stay with him. It's lifted him."
Highview Tommy's 3-year-old season (19 starts for 4 wins and 9 placings) was slightly less consistent than his 2-year-old term (9 starts for 4 wins and 5 placings), and his trainers were more than happy with how he performed. "Their 3-year-old season is always a little bit different because new horses come on the scene - horses like Stunin Cullen and Sleepy Tripp, which he never raced against at two. He had a couple of bloody tough races early on last season too, which might've taken their toll later."
Highview Tommy wasn't considered for the Cup at this stage of his career, but Purdon says it is only a matter of time before he is. "No, he can climb the ladder and earn his spot," he said. "He's got a wee way to go yet. The Junior Free-For-All on Cup Day is a nice race to aim him at, and then possibly the NZ Free-For-All on Show Day. I'm not saying that that is what he's going to do, because he is only a five-win horse at this stage. He'll get to Cup class eventually though, for sure."
Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 7 Oct 2009
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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Anyone who knows anything about Chinese astrology will point out that 2009 is not the 'Year of the Monkey'. here in New Zealand though, we might just have to re-write the script - this could well turn out to be the year when one particular monkey is crowned king after all.
Monkey King has looked devastating in his two outings so far this season. In the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru he shook off pre-race nerves to produce a run that was every bit as good as the winner's, then last Friday night at Addington he put in a faultless performance to score in national record time.
The $25,000 Searells Chartered Accountants Classic was unique in a way, because there were question marks hovering over both the first two favourites as punters waited anxiously to see if they would step away cleanly. Auckland Reactor made a complete mess of the start, as many had feared, but Monkey King found his hopples beautifully and landed mid-pack. From there driver Ricky May had options aplenty, and after making his run around the field he cleverly slipped 'Sam' into the trail behind Mr Feelgood when Report For Duty dropped out down the back; they were always going to have the last say up the passing lane.
"He just needed that race at Oamaru to settle him down," said Monkey King's trainer 'Benny' Hill, who was pretty sure deep down that his pacer wouldn't gallop off the mark like he did first-up. "He was a bit nervy and shaking when I was gearing him up before the Hannon, but tonight I was a lot happier with him...he was in the zone."
Hill exuded a lot of confidence about Monkey King's chances during his Trackside interview prior to the race last Friday - despite the presence of the two-time Horse of the Year. "Tonight wasn't about beating Auckland Reactor." he said. "It was more about getting away cleanly, going well, and looking forward to the Cup. Auckland Reactor's only one horse, there are thirteen others out there that you have got to worry about as well. No, we will just do our thing and he can do his - and we'll see what happens when they meet."
Hill can feel assured that Monkey King's NZ Cup preparation is falling into place nicely, and would dearly love to be humbly accepting handshakes from all and sundry sometime late afternoon on November 10. "I suppose this really could be his year," he said. "He has run second in the Cup before (2007), and we'll just forget about last season because he was crook. He went huge when he won the Easter Cup in April, running 3:58, and afterwards Robert (Famularo, owner) and I knew that that is the level we needed to have him at come November. Right at the moment, he is very close to it, and from now on it is just a case of keeping him happy and picking the right races. He's really starting to hit his straps though, and I reckon he's racing better than ever. He's a neat little fella, and he's shown that he's a force to be reckoned with."
The monkey is one of a dozen animals that symbolize the 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac; the last time that it was the 'Year of the Monkey' was back in 2004, and the next one isn't until 2016. Monkey King's sire Sands A Flyin was born during a 'Year of the Monkey', as was the 7-year-old's grandam Sukuntala. Monkey King himself was foaled in the most recent 'Year of the Horse', 2002. And what a terrific wee horse he turned out to be...
Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 7 Oct 2009
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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| The Fat Controller (inner) beating Speculate |
The Fat Controller had his turn in charge when he carried the day in a tight finish to the $25,000 Dakin Group of Companies Canterbury Park Trotting Cup last Friday night.
The minor surprise of the race was the second placing of the hot favourite Speculate, but with only a nose between them there was as much honour in defeat as there was in victory. Justin Smith took Speculate from midfield at the 1500m to give The Fat Controller cover at the 1200m. This was a run made to order for The Fat Controller, who has a 200 metre sprint to match the best of them. Along the passing lane, he made quick progress to draw level and then gain a slight edge. He needed every bit of it, for Speculate rallied strongly and almost took the lead back.
The Fat Controller has won nine of his 38 starts and a tick over $100,000 for breeders Martine and Phillip Iggo, and Phillip has the modest opinion that he is one of the good trotters but not one of the best. This season, there is very little between the good and the best, and The Fat Controller doesn't need to roll his sleeves up much further to be considered more favourably. His big chance is coming.
He will race in the Trotter's Trust Mile next at Ashburton on Labour Day where Iggo is expecting something fast. "To be honest, this is the race I've had in mind for him for the last twelve months. It's a race really worth having a crack at, and with his speed he could run a very quick mile. I am talking better than 1:57, probably closer to 1:56 if it all went his way. He can run a very quick quarter, and he was suited by how it went for him tonight."
While Iggo has major races at the NZ Cup Meeting in mind for The Fat Controller after that, he is baffled by the new programming of the feature trots at the meeting. "What they have done in bringing the Dominion forward, to race just three days after the free-for-all, is unreasonable. I don't think they have considered the horses at all, even if they are all in the same boat. It might work for other horses, racing from a mobile and then a 3200m stand. I don't think it will suit my horse, but it is a lot of money so I suppose we will be there."
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HR Weekly 14 Oct 2009
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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Size, or the lack of it, didn't count for much as Smiling Shard had his day in the sun at Addington last Friday night.
Part of the Dalgety-Dunn dynamo, Smiling Shard was safe and sharp, leading for the last lap of the $200,000 Garrard's Sires' Stakes Final before putting a spring in his step from the top of the straight to win by more than five lengths. Courage To Rule was a solid second, followed by Stormy Sirocco, and Beaudiene Christian got the best of a battle with stablemate Limited Edition to run forth, nearly 15 lengths from the winner. The hot favourite Kotare Mach was unable to make the lead and, irritated by the grit in his face, started throwing his head when third after 400 metres, scrambled and broke. He caught up, made a flying visit forward to almost join Smiling Shard in the lead at the 600m, but that was where the big run ended.
For Cran Dalgety and Dexter Dunn, it was a memorable way to mark the opening of the new $7m stabling complex, and it came with more than a side salad, because Living Proof, Lightning Raider and Bubba Ho Tep won as well. Earlier in the night, Dalgety had been praising the efforts of Living Proof, Diomedes and Almost Ambition, all nice 3-year-olds who had gone near the cut but not made it for the Harness Jewels. As good as his team is, he said he was missing a good Stakes horse. Within the hour, Smiling Shard had put that to rights, the Group 1 win worth more than $100,000. And there is more to come. He has the $200,000 Harness Jewels in a fortnight, and the Breeders' Crown is more on the agenda than off it.
Dalgety still thinks he is lucky to be where he is with the horse, knowing he didn't operate at the Sales in quite the professional manner he would do normally. "I was up at Karaka and the first I saw of him was in the ring. He was on the small side, but he looked mature for his age. To me, it looked as if he had a bit of backbone, and I thought he was the type that would suit the Earlybird Series in the north. They guaranteed five Heats worth $30,000, and running them no matter what the numbers were, so that was a super incentive."
While that was all well and good, Dalgety went home with a spec buy costing $41,000. "No owners and going to a good home. And I had to push Grinfromeartoear because Mr Feelgood hadn't won the Inter-Dominion then." It wasn't hard, with Cran's wife Chrissy holding a share, and the others being taken by Peter Gorman, Alan Vernel and Alistair Rooney. In the case of Rooney, he was keen to mix and make friends with a new crowd, and Smiling Shard has given him wonderful opportunities to do that. "It's been great," Rooney said. "We go down and give him a pat before he races and again when he finishes. Cran and Dexter are more than professional, and tonight we've met the colt's breeders, Mark and Debbie Smith."
With two wins and seven minor placings, Smiling Shard has been what Dalgety says "filling out the numbers" in the big races. That was before, and now he's not. He showed that as well as being a thoroughly genuine competitor in town hall company, he can have his day as the best of them as often as the others.
Although Dalgety is closing fast on his record number of wins last season - 62 and he has 50 now - he has raced past his stakes tally; $666,000 this season, whereas last season his stable won $571,000.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HR Weekly 20May09
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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It was a double dose of Group 1 success for Lauraella at Addington this month. A week after winning the Nevele R Fillies Final, in which it was said she was short of her best, Lauraella ran off with the $150,000 Nevele R - Wayne Francis Memorial Oaks. There was a late flurry for second and third, with Alexis arriving just in time to peg back Imagine Me and Arden's Darlin was a clear fourth.
David Butcher gave Lauraella time to settle, midfield on the outer, and he sent her up with cover and made the lead comfortably at the 1600m. Events unfolded pretty much as expected from there, with little change until the second tier of favourites emerged in the run home to sort out the minors.
Lauraella, by Christian Cullen, has the probability of a repeat win in the Harness Jewels in less than a fortnight, and the possibility of the Breeders Crown after that. Sandy Yarndley, on behalf of the Hardwood Breeding Syndicate, says there has been no commitment to anything after the Jewels, but he knows there is nothing of importance for the 4-year-old mares until much later in the season.
Trainer Geoff Small is also cautious about thinking any further than the Jewels. "It's a long season for 3-year-old fillies, if you go to the Crown, but they do get a break after that." Small has done it before, winning three Oaks and the Crown with Pullover Brown, the only filly who could match what Laurella has done.
The double won by Lauraella has also been achieved by One Dream, Western Dream, Kate's First, Under Cover Lover, Robyn's Treasure, Tigerish and Smooth Performer in the last 25 years.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HR Weekly 20 May 09
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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If you didn't think "wow" after Kiwi Ingenuity's win in the Pelorus Classic at Waterlea, the word would've almost certainly popped into mind when she demolished the Premier Mares Championship field at Addington last Friday night. Because, quite simply, Kiwi Ingenuity was breathtaking.
Keen out of the gate despite her wide draw, as was the case at Blenheim, the Christian Cullen mare was finally given her head by trainer/driver Robbie Holmes rounding the bend into the front straight the first time. She exploded forward in search of the lead, with arch-rival Nearea Franco matching strides with her on her inside; by the time the pair had crossed to the marker pegs starting the last lap, Kiwi Ingenuity had won the battle for the lead. Everyone knew she had spent some serious petrol getting there though...such exertion has to take its toll eventually, so she'll come back to the field for sure.
No, not this girl. If anything Kiwi Ingenuity pushed the pedal down further along the back straight, and when Holmes pulled the plugs at the 350m mark he felt the mare surge yet again. Nearea Franco and the chasing pack never looked like bridging the gap in the run to the line, and at the post Kiwi Ingenuity was nearly two lengths clear as the clock stopped at a blistering 2:20.9 - a 1:56 mile rate over 1950 metres. The $50,000 Group 2 Caduceus Club of Canterbury event had been 'over' a long way from the finish.
"At Waterlea, I was just a passenger down the back - and it was the same again tonight," said Holmes, who's in awe of the mare himself. "She was a nice 3-year-old, but she has just got so big in the chest this time in...almost like a stallion. And she's just an amazing, free-wheeling front-runner," he said, remembering back to how the Southland Oaks and NZ Oaks last season were both won in such fashion. "She would sprint for a half if you asked her to, and probably cover it in fifty-four or fifty-five."
Bred by Hamish Scott, Dr Kim Lawson and their company Equine Investments Ltd, they are joined in the ownership of Kiwi Ingenuity by close friend Abby Smith. The 4-year-old mare's now won them over $213,000, the return from seven victories and four placings in 13 appearances. An enviable record in itself, it is even more menacing considering she has drawn the 'ace' only once - and all her other marbles have been seven or worse.
"I'm really pleased for Hamish," Holmes said. "Because he is a breeder, and only a breeder really. They had a few offers for this mare early on, but he's always been a 'keeper'; it's like she is part of the family.
Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 28Jan09
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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| Sandy Yarndley with the trophy won by Lauraella |
Lauraella is clearly the best 3-year-old filly in New Zealand at present. They weren't all there to test her at Addington last week, but she was impressive enough to beat the good ones that were there for the recognition to be made.
Arden's Darlin and Rona Lorraine tried hard and were close enough at the finish of the $175,000 PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales Final, but Lauraella was well in charge from the time David Butcher took her to the front at the 800m. She was able to make her own rules and run hard from there, which is the way she likes it.
"When she won the Jewels last year she hadn't won a race before that because that was the first race run to suit her," said trainer Geoff Small. "She always had speed and had been a nice stayer in the making. It's going to be a long hard year for her...you have to feel sorry for 3-year-old fillies, what you ask of them."
Big assignments ahead for Lauraella are the North Island Oaks, the Nevele R Stud Fillies Final, the New Zealand Oaks and Harness Jewels, which gives her the potential to win about $500,000 this season.
Lauraella is a rangy daughter of Christian Cullen from the winning mare Black Maire raced by the Hardwood Breeding Syndicate, comprising Jan and Sandy Yarndley and Max and Judith Hunter, who have been racing horses together for 22 years.
A top filly is nothing new for Small, but he says he's lacked a really good one since the run he had with Pullover Brown, Classical and Copper Beach, all Group 1 winners at three.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 4Feb09
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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Stig achieved something he'd never done before when he won at Addington on Saturday. He set a NZ Record.
The undisputed star of trotting in Australasia has now blessed us with 13 victories to date, but he seemed to lift the bar even higher again in the $75,000 United Fisheries Free-For-All because he literally gave his rivals a start and a beating.
Nearly four lengths out of position on the outside of the second line when the mobile pulled away, Stig was dangerously giving some talented types even more of an advantage than he needed to. And over the sprint trip of 1950 metres, the task ahead could've very easily turned into 'mission impossible' after such a tardy beginning.
But this is Stig we're talking about - and like he's done numerous times before, the great horse just got down to business and produced an unbelievable performance. Narrowly avoiding two breakers early, the son of Armbro Invasion was never closer in than three-wide all the way around the bend into the straight the first time. Soon afterwards he had cover behind Sovereignty, and by the time the 800m pole came and went he had crossed over to be up outside the new leader King Charlie.
Rounding the home bend it was obvious that he was travelling sweeter than anything else, and down the straight driver David Butt did little more than flick Stig with the whip as he checked inside and out for dangers. There were none really, and at the line he had the fast-finishing Springbank Richard covered by a neck. Then gasps emanated from the small on-course crowd as Stig's time was announced...2:22.7, a scintillating mile rate of 1:57.7, and more importantly it meant that he had smashed a full 2.2 seconds off the existing national make held by Castleton's Mission.
Afterwards, trainer Paul Nairn admitted that Stig even surprises him sometimes. "It's just his will to win - he overcomes things," Nairn said. "I knew myself that he was no cert today, drawn where he was over the sprint trip, and it wasn't a great start he got. I don't know what happened there; Davey just said he got too far back and couldn't make up the ground. It's not the first time he has done that though (surprised me), he's just such a great stayer."
Nairn always had last Saturday's Listed event in the back of his mind for Stig, but only if he pleased him in training. "He had a three-week break after the Dominion, and has been in work about six weeks since, and if he wasn't up to this today I wouldn't have been worried. But when I worked him last Friday he seemed fit, and I thought he was ready to compete."
"There is a chance I will go north to Auckland now for the Cup Meeting, and will have to make a decision on that in the next week or so. The main problem with that is the young ones I've got at home, but I suppose I could also take up the likes of Red and Brite N Up to make the trip worthwhile."
Nairn says a couple of the youngsters he has in work "could make 2-year-olds," including a sister to De Gaulle named Mamselle who's "a nice wee trotter" and Landora's Pearl (Earl- Landora's Image) who "trots along a bit too".
Credit: John Robinson writin in HRWeekly 4Feb09
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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It was exhilarating watching Kiwi Ingenuity leap clear of the chasing pack at the 300 metres in last Friday night's $100,000 PGG Wrightson NZ Breeder's Stakes. It was a clinical demolition of a high-class field of mares, for she won by four lengths which is a handsome margin in any company.
It was also amazing in some ways because she had not been quite herself before and after her win and loss at Ashburton, which was only a fortnight before this more important target. Even on Monday of last week, she had mucus round her nose which told trainer Robbie Holmes that there was a little to worry about but not much. "To be perfectly honest, when I took her out of the barn the day after Ashburton, there were signs she had a cold coming on. So we pulled some blood and the results of that told us she'd had an infection and was getting over it. There were no other signs. She always eats well and her work was great, and she always rehydrates herself. In the paddock, she just drops her head and relaxes."
The form of Kiwi Ingenuity has been picture-perfect this season - five starts for five first finishes, only to lose the one at Ashburton in the Enguiry Room. Holmes thinks he was hard-done by there. Otherwise, the score this season is 100%, with Holmes saying the strength she has developed between the end of her last campaign and the start of this has been the key to her tremendous step up.
"This time in, it has just been continuous improvement, and she has been peaking with every run. It has become pretty exciting, and the things she's done mean she doesn't have to prove anything. I wouldn't be afraid of taking her to Auckland, because she actually steers better that way round, but that won't be happening. And people ask us when will we be meeting Auckland Reactor, and I can't see that happening either, not for a while."
In the meantime, Kiwi Ingenuity is having a rest, with only the Harness Jewels being of interest for the rest of the season. She can have a month off, and have a race or two before then, or what she needs." Further from that, Holmes says it's unknown. "Hamish (Scott) is a breeder, and he doesn't like his mares to be over-raced. She is likely to do some racing next season, but to what extent we don't know. Hamish has three others in work, and there are three to come in, and one is a Falcon Seelster 2-year-old half sister to Kiwi Ingenuity who is big but I really like her."
And Holmes is clearly keen to get Kiwi Fantasy back, a horse he has a lot of time for. "It's a very nice team. Romper Stomper is due in, and Indy Village and CC's Mademoiselle are coming up nicely."
For the star of his success, Holmes owes it to Simon Pavlovich, a good friend, good horseman, and now living a good way away in Western Australia. "We worked together in a camping ground in Queensland fifteen years or so ago, and it was Simon who introduced me to Hamish. He started with a share in Kiwi Express, and it has gone from there."
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18Feb09
YEAR: 2009
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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First called upon to fill a seat due to sheer weight of numbers, Jimmy Curtin has again been handed the reins behind Sleepy Tripp for this Friday night's NZ Derby.
Curtin has teamed up with the Courage Under Fire gelding twice so far...in the Sires' Stakes Final on Cup Day last November (when trainers Mark Purdon and Grant Payne sent forth nearly a quarter of the field), finishing ninth - and again last week at Addington, where Sleepy Tripp produced a jaw-dropping performance to win the 3YO Flying Stakes from the parked position after the last 800 metres sizzled by in 54.8.
The Inter-Dominion suspension of Purdon has necessitated a need for Curtin's services once more, and he is the right man for the job. He couldn't recall how many times he has driven in the Group 1 feature race to date, but was quick to add that he had "never looked like winning it" in the past. Things are totally different this time around. "He went super last week," Curtin said of Sleepy Tripp's latest victory and final sectionals.
"I knew we were doin' a bit, especially over that last half, because he was a little flat until I pulled the plugs turning for home - and then he kicked again. The distance of the Derby should suit him; there's no doubt that he has got speed and can stay as well, so he has got a few things going for him. But it's a pretty good field too, and of course it all depends on the draw and what sort of luck he gets in the running."
Luck - all of it bad - kept Sleepy Tripp from being a major player in the finish of the 1950m Sires' Stakes Final earlier this season, but the extra three and a half furlongs of Friday night's contest should ensure that every contender gets their chance. "He never got into the race that day," Curtin said, thinking back to November. "He was a victim of circumstances really though, and was now show at all."
Credit: John Robinson writing in HR Weekly 1 Apr2009
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