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RACING HISTORY

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Howard Bromac's proud owners Lynette Philpott and Michelle Larsen

Howard Bromac has finally got his name on a Group 1 trophy. His nose was sticking out the most in a blanket finish on Show Day's Lindauer NZ Free-For-All, and it was an anxious but memorable way to give his two Australian co-owners their first win at Addington. Trained and driven by Kirk Larsen, Howard Bromac is raced by his wife Michelle in partnership with Lynette Philpott and her nephew David Hardie, who hail from Cronulla, two avid supporters of the sport in their country.

"I first got into harness racing when I was young, but then had a break for about thirty years," said Philpott. "We'd have interests in about forty horses now," she said. Philpott is heavily involved in the day-to-day runnings of the building and investment company Slingsby Holdings, a role she stepped into following the death of her father. She regularly sponsors races at Harold Park, and also Bulli, where during February every year two $50,000 events for 2-year-olds called the Lindon Huntley Little Memorials are raced in honour of her late father.

Philpott first got to know the Larsens through Tahonga's Hanover, who was sold to her from Kirk's stable in 1997. "He won us twelve races, and gave my mum Edith so much pleasure," she said. "Kirk and Michelle came over to Australia not long after that, and we've just clicked ever since."

Philpott continued to purchase horses from New Zealand, with the next one being Howard Bromac's older full brother Harvey Bromac, the first foal of Holmes Hanover mare Honour Bromac. Harvey Bromac won a dozen races as well, which seems to be a pertinent number because Howard Bromac was registering the 12th win of his career in the Free-For-All. Subsequent foals from Honour Bromac, all bred by Nevele R's Bob McArdle, are heading in the same direction too. Live Or Die 3-year-old Huntley Bromac has already been shipped across, and Larsen says the next one - Mystical Shark 2-year-old Hallelujah Bromac - is "quite a nice horse". Others that Philpott has bought from the same source include Hardly Matters, Clint Westwood and Albert Einstein, which have all won their fair share of races, so it is no surprise she's quickly growing a soft spot fo Kiwi-bred horses.

For Larsen, the FFA victory was also his first taste of Group 1 glory, but by Sunday he was almost downplaying the achievment with his 'back to business as usual' approach. "The horse deserved one," he said. "He probably lacks a bit of brilliance, but he got the run to suit - doing no work on a hot pace; he can always give you that good quarter when things pan out that way. And he really dug deep that last fifty metres."

Howard Bromac's connections weren't issued an invitation to the Miracle Mile, which is traditionally the case following the Free-For-All every year; that's quite remarkable considering his Australian owners throw a great deal of money into sponsorship at Harold Park, too. So without it even being an option, Larsen will continue with his original plan of the Auckland Cup, Hunter Cup and Inter-Dominions as the main targets for his stable star. "There's so many big races coming up for him, and even if he only did the same as last year (win one race) I'd be happy. And he's still only six, so if he stays soung there's no reason why we shouldn't be looking to line up again in the Cup next year," he said.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HR Weekly

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

West Melton trainer Robert Dunn had mixed feelings on hearing he had won the $40,000 Wyatt & Wilson Print Superstars Championship with Mainland Banner at Addington last Friday night, 20 minutes after the race was run.

Mainland Banner was promoted to first in the Stewards' room following the disqualification of Dudinka's Cullen for racing inside the markers for approximately 90 metres. He knocked down six of them on his way to running past Mainland Banner, Baileys Dream and Presido and winning the race by a length. This was his first start since trainer Tim Butt had bought him for leviathan Perth owner, Neven Botica.

Mainland Banner gave Dudinka's Cullen a 20m start, and had no favours in the early part of the race although she began well without being quickly away. She had a smother in the middle stages and after some pushing and shoving on the final bend, unleashing a strong finish from there.

This has left driver Ricky May in the interesting position of having two possible drives in the NZ Cup, with London Legend, who resumes in the Nobilo this week, as the other. "I'm really happy with her. I knew she would step okay from the start and she did, but got sqeezed a bit. We have got a meeting planned this week to see where we go from here," he said.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 12Oct05

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Harnetts Creek clear & cruising.

Harnetts Creek showed that he will be a serious open class force this year when he resumed at Addington last Thursday night.

Eased back early from his wide draw in the $20,000 Avon City Ford Cup, Harnetts Creek and pilot Anthony Butt got around the field at about the only time the speed backed off, surging to the front with about 1200 metres to run. The pace was back on again from then onwards though, and Butt said Harnetts Creek was 'fair travelling' turning for home before pulling clear to win by more that two lengths. The Soky's Atom gelding's time of 3:14.7 for the 2600 metre event was stunning considering the cool and drizzly conditions, and it had a real stamp of arrogance about it.

"I thought the draw might have beaten him tonight," trainer John Parsons said afterwards. "He's always been not too bad fresh, and even though he is eight years old now, I reckon he is better this time in than ever before."

Parsons says that Butt being in Harnetts Creek's sulky last week was a sign of things to come this season. Blair (Orange) was pretty much committed to Mark Purdon's team now that he is out, so that's why we asked Anthony. I think his driving style suits the horse, too."

Harnetts Creek has now won 11 of his 46 starts, and even though last season was his first real taste of the 'big time', Parsons is hopeful that the pace can acquit himself even better this term. "When he ran fifth in the Inter-Dominion Final it was like the worst of an unlucky season," he said. "Then we gave him one more start in the Easter Cup, but in hindsight we should have knocked off before that because he raced like a tired horse. So he had a month out, and I just jogged him up through the winter and gave him a long, slow build-up. He has had one trial and two work-outs prior to tonight, and Anthony said he felt sharper in the latest of those - he will sharpen up more after this run too."

On Harnetts Creek's programme leading up to the NZ Cup is the Hannon Memorial and Flying Stakes, with his trainer saying that he will "take in everything" because he both needs it and thrives on it.

Well known for his success in the galloping world too, Parsons enjoys the challenge of training horses in both codes. "Gallopers wouldn't take a quarter of the work that pacers do. But I do enjoy it, because you can just potter around with them and you are not as reliant on staff either," he said.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 21Sep05

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Galleons Assassin beating Lady Segil

Surprisingly, Mark Purdon is only training one trotter. But it is a good one, and he proved that in no uncertain terms when winning last Friday night's $25,000 Group 2 NRM NZ Two-year-old Trotting Stakes at Addington.

Galleons Assassin was registering the first victory of his four start career last week, but a simple glance at his bloodlines hints that there is a lot more in store. He is an Earl gelding out of the Chiola Hanover mare Rob The Nest, who has taken her career to even greater heights than her six wins on the track by leaving one good horse after another.

All bred by either Neil Munro or Gary Allen singularly or in partnership, Rob The Nest's foals of racing age are: Sonofthedon, a Sundon gelding who recorded seven wins and four seconds from his 11 starts and looked a superstar in the making before injury brought about his demise; Thedonsson, a full-brother who has raced 28 times for six wins, seven placings and nearly $97,000 in earnings thus far; Charlotte Galleon, yet another Sundon, qualified and lightly-raced with only four starts to date; Whosinthenest, a 3-year-old Armbro Invasion filly who has been placed from the same amount of appearances; and now Galleons Assassin.

"I think everyone's forgotten about me with trotters," quipped Purdon, on his return to the stabling area last week. The Yalhurst trainer specifically went to last year's PGG Premier Yearling Sale with the intention of taking home a trotter, and top of the shopping list was Galleons Assassin. "Yes, he is the one I picked out; I liked him on type," Purdon said. "What the mare had already left spoke for itself - Earl was the only factor we didn't know anything about." Family friend Fred Tong was keen on the idea too, and when he asked Purdon what he thought they would have to pay the answer was "up to thirty-five"; he was spot on, for $35,000 was exactly what the yearling was knocked down to them at.

"Mark Smolenski broke him in for us and he was nothing special, just one of the pack. But every time he has gone off the place he has just improved that much. He is very solid, but I think his attitude would be his biggest asset. And he is a bit better-sized compared to Sonofthedon and The donsson, because they were both big horses."

Additional things that Purdon tried with Galleons Assassin include a course of Altitude Training and regular trips to the beach, both of which have aided the gelding's development. "He is one of the few that I take to the beach," he said. "Early on he was a bit inclined to touch or hitch in behind, that is why I knew the straight-line work would help him. He doesn't need to now though, because he is fool-proof."

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 1Jun05

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Armbro Innocence

Armbro Innocence owned by Mrs K L Butt & Enzed Farm won the 2005 running of the Pyne Gould Guiness Premier Mares Championship. She won by three quarters of a length from Alta Serena with a further neck back to Lady Toddy in third place. The winner was trained by Tim Butt and driven by Mark Jones.

Credit: Colin Steele NZMTC

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Lew Driver & The Reckoning

Lew Driver is very much his own man. He trains on the edge of convention. But his methods work, as The Reckoning showed when winning the $200,000 Sales Series Pace at Addington last Friday night.

The Reckoning was the busiest horse in the race. He had raced 12 times this season, being once to Auckland and three times to Invercargill. He never missed a float ride. "He's only had three straight days off since February last year," said Driver, who settled in West Melton from the North Island in February, 2003. Driver moved south as an extremely successful businessman and trainer who had done splendidly with "other people's cast-offs. I had won all the cups in the north - Hawera, Northland, Waikato, Hawkes Bay, Rotorua - except the Auckland Cup and I had been second in that, and Gaelic Skipper was runner-up in the Inter-Dominion Grand Final. My horses had won over a million, and one season I trained thirty-three winners".

That was before he became heavily involved in the hotel industry. "It wasn't until I came south, and with only a half interest in a hotel, that I decided to spend some real money," he said. For $84,000, he bought Presido at the Ready To Run Sale, claimed Chief to give him a racehorse, and chose 10 yearlings at the PGG Sales. The Reckoning, a son of Presidential Ball, was one of them, and he cost $20,000.

Along with his stablemates Gretamaro, Fleet Magic and Gaelic Annie, The Reckoning was ready and waiting for the juvenile racing to begin, and he was fully educated and conditioned with trial racing when it came. He ran second at his first three starts, to Live To Reign (twice) and The Adman before winning a race at Ascot Park at his sixth start.

Although well pleased with his lead-up form, Driver lost what confidence he had when he saw The Reckoning starting from the outside of the second line. "I had seen how it affected Presido when he drew badly in both Derbies, and I went along for the night a bit scruffy. I just didn't expect to be there. I saw him at the winning post, and then I lost him down the back, though I knew he was in the middle of them somewhere. It was a real thrill to win it, because it is the first big stake I have relly won - $107,000 is quiet a lot.

Driver does not train pretty. "I do what every trainer does, feed them three times a day, but they don't have to work much at home if they're racing or going to the trials. I feed them NRM Race13, and they have jumped out of the ground since they have been on that. They don't get boxed, and there are no shelters - just double rugged in a paddock - a bit like the Aussie galloper, Vo Rogue. And the only time they get washed down is after a race or a workout. They get towelled down, their legs get iced and I rub Staysound into them every day. It is very cooling and tightens them up. They are just my own thoughts and how I do it," he said.

Presido is having a working holiday with Mark Smolenski - who Driver says brought him into the "modern world" with feeding and other suggestions - and in due back in the stable next week. The plan is to take him to Australia for the Breeders' Crown, and The Reckoning will probably go too, after he races in the Juvenile Championship in Auckland.



Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18May05

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Phillippa Wakelin & Steve Noble.

Three rugby mates have Steve Noble to thank for their win by Awesome Imace in the Group 2 $35,000 NRM Sires' Stakes 2-Year-Old Championship at Addington last Friday night. "Come and have a look at him, Steve said to us," recalled part-owner Mike Moore. "Front on, he looks just like Sir Castleton. After this, I believe everything Steve says now," he said.

Still, it wasn't all plain sailing after a hiccup last week when he galloped at his previous start, behind Brite Speed, when third in the running. This was after two false starts, which left Noble and his training partner Phillippa Wakelin in two minds whether lining him up so soon after it was in the best interests of the horse. But Awesome Imace had a strong week. "He's so laid back, nothing fazes him," said Wakelin.

The journey for the pair was a pleasure, sitting behind the pacemaker and favourite, Mountbatten. "I knew he could outsprint them from there," she said. Galleons Assassin attacked with a bold run from the turn, and appeared to have the race in hand 100 metres out. But Awesome Imace came with the speed Wakelin knew he had and turned the tables quickly inside the final 50 metres.

"We just needed our luck to change," said Wakelin, who weaned the colt for breeder Ian Starkey, and Noble arranged the lease with a right of purchase for himself, Moore, Stephen Hill and Alistair McLay.

Wakelin has had a thorough background in harness racing, especially with trotters, starting with Erin Crawford, where she spent three years, followed by four years with Ian Cameron. She drove five winners as a junior driver, then went to Brisbane, winning 30 races while employed by Stuart Hunter. On her return, with Noble, she worked for Mike Berger, then did yearling preparation for Merv Neill, and before establishing their own stable at Oxford, spent five years at Wai-Eyre Farm. They have two racehorses in their team of 12, plus three nearly due at the workouts.

Awesome Imace is the first winner in New Zealand sired by the Balanced Image horse Brylin Boyz and is from Awesome Lass, a Straphanger mare who won once from seven starts and got hurt. He is the third foal, and the first two have qualified, and there are two by Sundon to follow. Starkey was on-hand for the win, and recalled racing the grandam Not Surprise, a Hodgen's Surprise mare who won seven races for Bryce Buchanan. Starkey raced a number of horses from Gavin Hampton's stable, including Chiola Sam, the winner of five, and Wakfield - his first winner - in 1956.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18May05

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Jasmyn's Gift outfinishes stablemate Allegro Agitato

When you're hot, you're hot. Words fronm the hottie himself, Phil Williamson. And it is true, the man is the latest Little Lucifer.

Having won the NZ Trotting Oaks at Addington last month, Williamson returned last Friday night for the sequel to the appetiser, not only winning the Group 1 $50,000 Tyco Electonics/ Ralph, Thompson, Shaw & Thompson NZ Trotting Championship with Jasmyn's Gift but running second with her stablemate, Allegro Agitato. For Williamson, who has had many special moments this season, this was the best of them. "It would be my biggest thrill in racing," he said. "I have had some good tutors along the way, and you don't lower the colours of Tim Butt often in these types of races," he said.

In this case, he was surprised the Jasmyn's Gift would do it, rather than the more fancied and better-performed Allegro Agitato. "She has shocked a few, including me," he said. This was the supreme test for Jasmyn's Gift, a 5-year-old Sundon mare whose assignment was by far her biggest to date. "She went outstanding. To be honest, I had my reservations about her because there have been a lot of little things she hadn't done before. When we took the lead (off Allegro Agitato) Tony (Herlihy) could see how well we were going. She has never been one to fold up, but I couldn't believe the way she pricked her ears and strode away in the straight," he said.

Jasmyn's Gift entered the record books on two counts, the other being her mobile 2600m mobile time of 3:15.9 which bettered the 3:15.9 she set on February 18 when she defeated Some Direction and Marie Wishes. This performance has now put the Rowe Cup on her agenda, although Williamson knows the assignment will not be an easy one. "She has never raced that way round, and that was a factor against the Australian horses when they were in Auckland last month. It can take racing to handle that. But on the way she raced tonight, I have got to pursue that way of thinking," he said.

Jasmyn's Gift is from Ilona Del, a Speedy Summit mare from Del May who Williamson drove to win a race at Waimate for Polly Cleave. She was owned then by Allan Elderton who bred the top class trotter Directorship from Del May, and gave Williamson the mare to breed two foals. One was Iona Whiz, who won a race at Winton and after being sold went through to good company in Australia. Ilona Del, owned now by Clive and Rona McKay, has since left progeny to Holdonmyheart.

While Phil and his wife Bev were disappointed that their son Nathan was not on track to see the mare's big win, they were quick to give him credit. "He has done a lot of work with her, and has kept saying she is as good as Allegro Agitato."

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Not so long ago Tony Dickinson couldn't even give Heard A Whisper away, but today she is becoming a broodmare that money can't buy. Heard A Whisper has risen to fame through the deeds of her second foal, Alta Serena, brilliant winner of last Friday night's $100,000 George Calvert Cleaning Easter Cup at Addington in near record time.

The victory was Alta Serena's 17th from only 38 starts, and took her over $360,000 in stake earnings. As long as trainers 'Bunty' Hughes and John Green can keep her sound there should be a lot more where that came from, which is all quite in contrast to the fact that she is out of a mare that no-one wanted.

By Smooth Fella out of Tawhai Sandy, Heard A Whisper was bred by Dickinson and some friends to put through the Sales. But she cut a leg and had to be withdrawn, so they raced her themselves. "Heard A Whisper won two for us, then after we leased her to Chris Insley she won another one for him," Dickinson recalled. "She was a fast mare too, but she could only do it at one end."

It was about this time when Dickinson
decided to convert his passion for harness racing into a boutique operation and formed his own company, Alta Breeding Ltd. He bought out his partners in Heard A Whisper, bred three foals, and then tried to give the mare away. "Her first was a Soky's Atom filly (Whisper Atom), but she was so small I ended up selling her cheaply to Chris and she never raced - he is breeding from her though," Dickinson said. "Then I put Heard A Whisper to Fake Left (Alta Serena), because he was flying in Queensland at the time and I thought if he could do that sort of job in Australia over their mares he should be able to do just as well here. And the third one I bred was a Sands A Flyin, who was a magnificent colt but he contracted the Wobbler Syndrome and had to be put down."

Three foals down, only Alta Serena actually making it to the Sale ring and attracted just $4500 at that - it's no wonder Dickinson wanted Heard A Whisper's space in the barn to be taken up by something else. "I tried to get rid of her," he admits. "I advertised her in a couple of papers, even rang a couple of studs to see if I could swap her for a service. But there were no takers. In the end, Woodlands put her in foal to Lislea for me. Then when Alta Serena jumped out of the ground as 2-year-old, well, everyone wanted to know about her."



Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 13Apr06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Tuherbs is too strong for Pay Me Christian

Terry McDonald has never been afraid of having a bit of a flutter on the tote, and last Friday night a punt of a different kind paid big dividends for him when Tuherbs won the $50,000 NZ Welcome Stakes at Addington.

Tuherbs was bred by Roydon Lodge Stud, and the Live Or Die-Futurist gelding did all his early education under the guidance of part-owner/trainer Dave Anderson, but on Friday he made his debutin the colours of Tim Butt after being bought by McDonald and his good mate Eddie Griffin a little over a month ago. "We have people looking around for horses for us all the time, and it was actually Mark Jones that spotted Tuherbs at the trials one day," Butt said. "We trialled him once, at Dave's, and knew he had a six-figure price tag - but that is the going rate for a good, young horse these days."

In between times Butt had put the proposition to McDonald, who had raced the likes of Show Cruiser and Life Goes Bye from the stable in the past. "Tim mentioned that the asking price was fairly high, but I left it to his judgement to decide whether he was worth it or not," McDonald said. "He believed Tuherbs was, so then I rang Eddie and he nearly fainted, but he said he would get the money together somehow."

In business and as friends McDonald and Griffin go back a long way, 30 years in fact. Originally they were partners in the Acme Metal & Drum Company, McDonald managing the Christchurch branch and Griffin overseeing the Dunedin one. The picture changed about seven years ago when McDonald amalgamated with McIvor Metals to form Resource Recycling Ltd and Griffin went out on his own, but they have remained great mates and continued to race the odd horse together. One of those was In The Way, who ran second to Giovanetto in the 1991 Welcome Stakes, so Tuherbs did his bit to settle the score by going one better last Friday night.

He had to be good to do it too, because apart from a second-row draw over the 1950 metre sprint trip he had the red hot favourite Pay Me Christian standing in his way as well. Tuherbs and driver Anthony Butt tracked Pay Me Christian with every stride, settling behind him after the start and then following him three-wide and into the race over the last lap. Gaps appeared between the pair when Pay Me Christian took off at the 600 metre mark just as Tuherbs got humped four-wide, but once around the final bend he was soon idling in behind his main rival once again and waiting to pounce. Butt went to pass at the furlong, but then had to suddenly grab hold of Tuherbs and steer him wider when Pay Me Christian baulked for the second time and went sideways. Unfazed by the loss of momentum, Tuherbs straightened, gathered himself and zoomed on past the favourite, winning virtually untouched by one and a half lengths in a 1:58 mile rate.

"He is a lovely horse," Tim enthused afterwards. "He has got a great temperament, and settled in right from day one after we got him; Dave deserves a lot of credit for what the horse did tonight. "And the thing about Tuherbs is that he probably doesn't really know what he is doing yet. We will target a Sires' Stakes Heat with him in a fortnight, hopefully the Final after that, and then that will be it for the season."

For McDonald, winning the Welcome Stakes was one of his most enjoyable moments in the 40 years he has owned and raced horses. His involvement has never been more in-depth than it is right now either, because he is breeding from seven mares and the total head count across the board is well into the 30s. The latest to join the list is the dam of Tuherbs, Fitch II mare Futurist, who he bought for "a steal" when outlaying $6500 for her at the Roydon Lodge Sale earlier the same day. She is in foal to Julius Caesar, and after such an emphatic debut performance by Tuherbs she too looks like a punt that is going to pay off.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 13Apr05