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RACING HISTORY

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2002 TYCO ELECTRONICS/ RALPH THOMPSON SHAW & THOMPSON NZ TROTTING CHAMPIONSHIP

Light And Sound's victory on Saturday night was the beginning of a Group Race rampage for his trainer/ driver, as Purdon also went on to win the NZ Trotting Championship with Waihemo Hanger and the NZ Derby with Jack Cade.

A fortnight ago, Waihemo Hanger looked back to his old tricks when he broke in the home straight when travelling easily enough behind the winner Jay Bee Ar. But after a sparkling trial win mid-week and the addition of a boring pole on his near-side, Waihemo Hanger trotted sweetly around the Addington bends while up forcing the issue and held too many guns for Dependable and the fast-finishing Hutzpah.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 04Apr02

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OK Ulisee and Andrew Suddaby

2002 FIRESTONE DIRECT JUNIOR FREE-FOR-ALL

Brent Lilley's year just keeps getting better. Just eight months ago he landed the biggest achievement of his training career when Game Bid took out the Inter-Dominion Trotters' Grand Final at Sydney.

Earlier this week Lilley was back to chase big-race glory again, this time with OK Ulisee in the $25,000 Firestone Direct Junior Free-For-All at Addington. Even more less-fancied against his opposition than Game Bid was back in March, OK Ulisee mirrored the effort of his former stablemate and beat them fair and square.

Masterfully driven by Lilley's new right-hand-man Andrew Suddaby, OK Ulisee was held back out of the gate instead of being asked to use the explosive speed he possesses, the plan having been chosen by Lilley and Suddaby in pre-race discussions leading up to Cup Day. "Andrew and I sat down and talked about how the race would unfold, and we thought that Ants (Anthony Butt) was more than likely going to try and hold the lead inside us on Lavros Harrier. There was no use trying to take him on early," Lilley reflected. "So we were better settling on the outside." The plan worked a treat, and after getting an economical trip OK Ulisee had plenty of gas to punch away from his opposition when it counted.

The occasion marked the launch of Lilley's new colours, those being the black and yellow silks of Tranz Rail, who are the 26-year-old's new sponsor. "Having a sponsor is something a bit different, because not a lot of people have got that sort of thing yet," Lilley continued. "It came about from a mate of mine, Scott Sutton, who used to work for Dad as a stablehand about ten years ago. Soon after that he got a job with Tranz Rail, based in Christchurch, and has worked his way up to Account Manager now. It's really great that we could win the first time the colours were worn." OK Ulisee is one of the first horses raced by 66-year-old Bill Smith, a taxi driver for the Christchurch company First Direct and former next door neighbour of Lilley's before he re-established himself in Leithfield six months ago.

Freshened since a fast-closing second to Mister D G a month ago, OK Ulisee had an outing at last week's Cup Trials and finished last in a field of four behind Niobium; Lilley was rapt in the run. "It always takes one to bring him right," he said of the 6-year-old OK Bye gelding. "I put him in the trail knowing he would need it, and hoped he would go about 3:20. They went 3:14, so he just blew out. But I knew he would be firing on all cylinders today."

OK Ulisee put himself amongst some pretty elite company with his victory in the Junior Free-For-All, with past winners including the likes of Young Rufus, Iraklis and Yulestar to name a few. While conceding that he is probably not one of them, Lilley isn't afraid to set his sights a little higher still. "Next year's Inter-Dominions have been the big plan with him all along; I know his owner has turned down some pretty good money for him," he said. "A series like that should really suit him, because they race a week apart and he can back up. He raced three times in ten days at the Cup Meeting last year, recording a win and two seconds. He has got gate speed too, which is very important in a series like that.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 14Nov02

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2002 GIANNIS PITA BREAD CANTERBURY PARK TROTTING CUP

Dependable was fresh when he accounted for Take A Moment in the Giannis Pita Bread Canterbury Park Trotting Cup.

Trainer Allan Georgeson said he had been "ready sometimes" to make a speech after a race by Dependable, "but I didn't think I would be making one tonight, not when he was first-up over two miles."

And it never entered his mind when Dependable went close to elimination after Play On broke at the top of the straight. Sent after Take A Moment, Dependable made it in good time, with Waihemo Hanger running on late for third.

"He can sprint as well as a pacer," said Georgeson.



Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 09Oct02

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2002 SBS BANKING LIKE IT SHOULD BE/ HELLER SMALLGOODS FREE-FOR-ALL

Has David Butcher ever driven better? Regardless of whether he has or not, he can claim to be in superb form.

After driving 33-to-one shot Purr Along to victory at Alexandra Park on Thursday night, he was a Addington the next night, to settle a score with Disprove. The son of Camelon had raced without luck on either of the first two days at the Cup Meeting.

Again Butcher found him in fine fettle. He was quite relaxed about sitting in the open over the last lap of the SBS Banking Like It Should Be/ Heller Smallgoods Free-For-All, and he responded generously in the straight to win by two lengths from Mister D G, with a tiring Stars And Stripes all-out to hold third from Eastwood Jaunty.

Possibly in the best form of his career just now, and with an obvious liking for he big Addington track, Disprove went a super time for the 2600m mobile, taking 3:10.7. His programme now includes the Auckland Cup meeting, which trainer Nicky Chilcott is doing with some reluctance. "He is so much better going this way round, but what can you do? We can't really be sitting at home with a horse like him when that is going on," she said.

Chilcott again said how touch and go it was to have Disprove at the meeting. "I panicked early on. I was really worried about him. To be honest, I really wasn't that keen on coming south," she said. She chanced her arm on the environment at David and Catherine Butt's where she thought the beach work would be the tonic he needed. "Back home, he walks in the water, and that is about it," she said.

While the Auckland carnival is on the agenda, and that is about all, Melbourne is a firm one. "The Hunter Cup and the Victoria Cup are definitely on for us," said the pacer's part-owner, Wellington real estate agent Louis Newman, who races the horse with taxi driver Tony Jack and Lyn Jacobsen.

"They have had a lot of trouble with him, and twice he nearly died," said Newman. "Nicky has been superb with him, and David has given a lot of advice as well," he said. Newman was generous in his praise for Peter Jones, who gave the horse one race "then advised us to have him trained up north."

"It was just luck that I stumbled on him," said Chilcott.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 27Nov02

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2002 BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT TRUST NZ TROTTING FREE-FOR-ALL

After a so-so innings on Cup Day, Butt Brothers Inc. were back in business at Addington on Show Day.

Take A Moment surprised no-one with a typical tradesman like effort to win the Bone Marrow Transplant Trust NZ Trotting Free-For-All from Frugal Echo.

The Butts have always thought Take A Moment would have a season when he dominates, and there is every sign that he is about to do this. "He's at the peak of his career, and it was really effortless, what he did today," Tim said.

He has a busy time ahead, with Friday's Dominion followed by a trip to Moonee Valley for the Bill Collins Mile on December 7, the $100,000 Grand Prix a week later, back for the Auckland carnival and possibly a mile at Cambridge in early January. Then, a week or so to freshen and then prepare for the Inter-Dominions at Addington.

Credit: Mike Grainger writin in HRWeekly 20Nov02

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2002 NRM SIRES' STAKES SERIES FINAL

A lap from home in the NRM Sires'Stakes Final, Jamie MacKinnon's heart skipped a beat. He had just watched his horse Maheer Lord work around to the front at the 1300 metre mark, but all of a sudden his mind flashed back to a very similar occasion on Cup Day two years ago. Back then, Kliklite did exactly the same thing... pressing forward to lead the NZ Cup field coming into the straight for the second-to-last time; seconds later disaster struck though, and Kliklite broke down in the very same spot, never to be seen on a racetrack again.

MacKinnon fought off the deja vu feelings, and Maheer Lord stayed in front to fight off the stern challenges of Allstar Blue Jean and Champagne Princess, taking out the Sires' Stakes Final in brilliant fashion. Now unbeaten in six starts, Maheer Lord's performance to win the 1950m mobile event in such quick time considering the conditions was one of the highlights of Cup Day 2002.

By Holmes Hanover, the 3-year-old gelding is out of the New York Motoring mare Fern Glen, who won ten races. Maheer Lord was bred by charismatic enthusiast Monty Baker, who races him in partnership with MacKinnon. "Everybody knows Monty," the latter said smiling. "We have raced horses together for years. The first was Blazing Spirit, after I became a member of the Top Of The Line Syndicate which Monty manages. She won five, and another one we had was Ideal Franco. After we had to retire Kliklite I told Monty I would always be interested in racing another 'nice' horse with him," MacKinnon said.

Aged 46, MacKinnon travels quite a bit with his main occupation, which is buying movie copyrights for companies such as Civic Video. Earlier this year he was in the United States on business when the phone rang, and it was Baker on the line. "I think I have got one that is alright," Baker told his friend. "Monty asked if I wanted to ring Tony (Herlihy) and ask him about Maheer Lord, but I told him that wasn't necessary because his judgement was good enough."

Back home in time to see Maheer Lord qualify around Pukekohe at the end of June, MacKinnon joined Baker in the ownership of the gelding soon afterwards. Having won his qualifier and every other trial since, Maheer Lord is yet to be beaten on the track, and his perfect six-for-six record on raceday has taken his earnings to $102,725. "I like racing horses with Monty," MacKinnon continued. "We get along really well, and we have had a bit of luck which always helps."

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 14Nov02

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T K Victor

2002 NRM SIRES' STAKES 2YO TROTTERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Good manners, the best trip of all, and a determined stayer's finish brought T K Victor a Group 2 win in the NRM Sires' Stakes Trotters Championship for 2-year-olds at Addington last week.

The son of Simon Roydon is trained by Dale Cameron, but he has been in the care of Brent Lilley while he has been in the south. "He is only a pony, but you have to sit behind to fall in love with him," said Lilley, who met Cameron and drove a few horses for him while he was employed by Barry Purdon a few years ago. "He had never been to the beach before he got here," he said. T K Victor was driven to perfection by David Butt, who also won the race in 1998 with Special Branch and the year after that with Shine.

T K Victor was bred by Robert Tapp and Patricia Johnson, who bought his dam Bonnie Quine empty at a broodmare and weanling sale three years ago for $500. "We had seen her race at Cambridge," recalled Tapp, "so we knew she had ability. The first consort that came to mind over Sundon and all others was Simon Roydon, simply because it was a similar cross to Continentalvictory, who won the Hambletonian in the States, but it also crossed one of the best trotting families in Arndon's family with a doubling up of Star's Pride."

Tapp has bred numerous winners, including Cee Eye Bee, T K Swift, T K Dancer, Steel Dawn and El Sirocco, and preparing to race later this season are T K Blackjack and T K Stellar. Bonny Quine is also the dam of a yearling colt by Straphanger and was served this season by Above The Stars.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 08May02

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2002 CHRISTCHURCH CASINO NZ TROTTING DERBY

Two months ago, Kevin Townley didn't have a 3-year-old trotter. There was one in his stable called Sundon's Luck, but in no way was he reliable, and when Townley floated him home from Ashburton after the Hambletonian in February he knew he had some serious sorting out to do. "He had a gallop that day, just like he had done on debut at Addington," Townley recalled. "I was getting pretty worried at that stage, and remember thinking 'gee, I still don't have a 3-year-old trotter yet'."

Townley has compiled a super record with trotters over the years, especially in the younger age group ranks, but his hopes that Sundon's Luck would follow in the footsteps of such greats as Solar Fire and Sunning were diminishing day by day. It was a long-term plan that he had mapped out for Sundon's Luck ever since the horse had arrived on his property as a yearling, and he could see it was coming unstuck.

Bred by trotting stalwarts Trevor and Vera Allingham, Sudon's Luck went under the hammer at Karaka in the Autumn of 2000. Townley wasn't flying north for the Sales, but he was keen on the son of Sundon and Chiola's Luck all the same. "I thought he was the pick of the catalogue because of his breeding," Townley said. "Ben Calder (of Johnson's Oysters) was interested in buying a trotter at that stage too, so, knowing my vet Bill Bishop was going to go up for the Sales, I said to Ben...'why don't we just get Bill to look at Sundon's Luck for us, and save ourselves the trip'. "Bill loved him, and got him for $16,000."

Placed in the ownership of Calder, Bishop and their respective wives Karen and Helen, Sundon's Luck was soon in the care of his new trainer. It wasn't long before Townley had news for the foursome - some good, some bad. "He was up and running at two and had the ability, but not the brain." Townley said. "He just wasn't settled, and was very hyperactive. And he was too competitive; every time I put him alongside another horse he would go a hundred miles an hour trying to beat it, and fly to bits. All we could do was put him out for a good spell, and hope he would have the brain when he came back at three."

Sundon's Luck finally made it to the racetrack at the beginning of February this year. His trainer/driver took the necessary precautions by placing him on the unruly, but he galloped. Strike one. Then the 3-year-old went to Ashburton for the Hambletonian, and galloped again. Strike Two. Just when he thought he was going to strike out, Townley put bat on ball and hit a homer. Sundon's Luck sat in the one-one at Addington on March 8, and burst clear of his opposition to win with his ears pricked. Then a fortnight later at the same venue he gave leader Tony H a head start of some 20 metres, worked round to sit outside him for the last half, and ran him to a neck. And last Saturday night, in the event that meant more to Townley than any of them so far, Sundon's Luck jogged home to win the $50,000 Christchurch Casino NZ Trotting Derby.

"Practice, practice and more practice," the Weedons horseman said, explaining how he turned Sundon's Luck around. I just kept changing things, and trying new things. Putting two poles on him has helped because that has got his steering perfect. But it is just a fluke that we got him right in time for all the big trots, so we are lucky in that respect."

Townley doesn't hide the fact that he thinks a lot of his latest winner. "He is very good," he said. "He has got better in every start since his first win, and on Saturday he went round the field on his own and led for more than the last lap. You don't see many do that. Solar Fire was a brilliant filly, but Sundon's Luck is different again because he is more of a stayer. That doesn't mean he hasn't got speed though, because that day at Ashburton he would have trotted his mile in well under two minutes once he finally got going. He has got a big motor. I have timed him to run his last quarter at Rangiora trials in 27 and a bit - and he never tires. What more could you ask for in a horse?"

The latest news that Townley has for Sundon's Luck's owners is to make travel arrangements. "Yes, we will have a go for the big money now. He will go to Auckland for the Trotters Championship and the Rosso Antico later this month, and then all going well we will head to Australia for the Holmfield, the Victorian Derby and the New South Wales Derby. I am still not ready to bring him off the unruly and line him up off the front yet. But the day I do, look out, because they won't see which way they went."


Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 04Apr02

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2002 PGG YEARLING SALES SERIES 3YO FILLIES

If you think Hot Shoe Suffle is good now, just wait until she grows into her massive frame. That is the warning from Hot Shoe Suffle's co-trainer Mike Berger, who believes the best is still to from the towering 16.3-hand filly. "She was big at two, so I hoped she would fill out this season but she hasn't; she has been growing up, not out," Berger said. "I think she could develop into an awesome mare at four and five. And when she does finally fill out - look out!"

Strong words indeed, but Berger had every reason to be bullish about Hot Shoe Shuffle after her performance in the $106,700 PGG Yearling Sales Series Fillies Pace. Aided by a masterful drive by regular pilot David Butcher, Hot Shoe Shuffle shifted out of the trail starting the last lap and secured the one-one behind fellow Falcon Seelster filly Angela Jane, who had circled the field three wide. From there they always had the drop on their biggest danger. To her credit Angela Jane forced the issued around the top bend and momentarily skipped a length or two clear, but she couldn't hold out Hot Shoe Shuffle's finishing punch near the line.

The victory was Hot Shoe Shuffle's eighth from 16 starts, and together with four seconds she has now netted her owners over $180,000. This is a super return on the $13,000 that the Hot Shoe Shuffle Breeding Syndicate parted with to buy her from the sales, and her record is even more impressive considering that Friday night was the first time in her career that she had drawn inside seven.

Winning the PGG Sales Series Pace was also some consolation for missing two big fillies' races at the Auckland Cup Carnival, the Ladyship Stakes and the Great Northern Oaks. "I found her one day with some grazing on a back leg, so she must have kicked through a fence or something," Berger said. "She was in work at the time, and it took ages for the bruising to come down. Most owners might have wanted to start in those races regardless, but her's were quite happy to bypass them. "They are a great syndicate to train for. It made my job a lot easier. It's hard enough getting a nice horse, let alone pushing her into races she is not ready for."

Two races that remain on Hot Shoe Shuffle's programme for the season are the Wayne Francis Memorial Oaks on May 3 and the Nevele R Fillies Final a week later. "She will go home and have a wee break now, and then we might tackle another heat of the Nevele R Series.

"One of he owners lives in Brisbane so there is a possibility she could go to Australia later in the season - it is only an option at this stage though. Being a lightly-framed filly it is easy to over-work her, it's just a matter of getting your timing right. Her best attribute would be her tremendous will to win. Even at home when she is jogging she has just got to get in front of any other horses that are with her."

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 20Feb02

Colin & Julie De Filippi celebrate

Colin & Julie De Filippi become the first husband and wife team to train the winner of the NZ Cup (Kym's Girl) and in doing so Julie became only the second woman to train the Cup winner. The first was Lorraine Nolan with Yulestar the previous year.