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The Dominion winning combination

2000 COUPLAND'S BAKERIES DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP

Tim Butt iced the cake that was his Cup meeting by winning four races at Addington on Dominion night. The West Melton trainer took out all three trots on the programme, including the Dominion Handicap, and the pacers' Free-For-All, bringing his total haul over the four days of racing to seven.

Contributing to Butt's best-ever showing at the meeting were Take A Moment (three wins), Lyell Creek, Happy Asset, Pocket Me and Eastnor Lad, but in years to come it will only be remembered as the time when Lyell Creek got beaten. That is why the great trotter (unjustly) had a point to prove on Friday.

The speed was on right from the word go in the Dominion, and big Lyell didn't start his move around the field until inside the mile, eventually taking the lead from McGrady with a lap to run. He was still coasting at the finish, taking out the coveted two-mile event on a cold night in a tick over 4:06. "There was a bit of apprehension beforehand, but, just like the week before, I couldn't fault him going into the race," Butt said. "And he won it easy, Ants didn't really let him go in case he did something stupid."

Having successfully defended his Dominion Handicap title, that could be the last Addington fans see of Lyell Creek. "He now heads to Auckland for a discretionary handicap on December 15, followed by a 2700m mobile Free-For-All a week later - which he'll probably draw one in," Butt quipped. "There's a mile even at Cambridge for him on January 3, then he heads off to Melbourne for the Dullard Cup and the Australasian Trotters' Championship. "Lyell needs racing every week now, he's getting smart and a bit above himself, so it will do him good," he said.

Credit: John Robinson writing in NZHR Weekly

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Trevor Casey, Colin DeFilippi & Bruce Negus with their trophy

2000 WAYNE FRANCIS MEMORIAL NZ OAKS

Bruce Negus and Colin De Filippi are mates. And like most friends, they have had the odd difference of opinion. Their most recent one was over Caps Off, and had it not been for De Filippi's insistance the filly could have won the $75,000 Wayne Francis Memorial New Zealand Oaks for someone other than owner Trevor Casey. "I told Trevor to sell her six weeks ago," Negus admitted. "This was before and after she won at Rangiora. Colin and I had a healthy debate; he believed she was getting better and should be given the chance to improve over the next couple of seasons. But she passed the vet and was all but sold to America - the only reason she stayed is because the money didn't come," Negus said.

De Filippi must have had a wry smile as he got the best out of Caps Off to down hot pot Tupelo Rose. It was yet another masterful drive by the Ladbrooks reinsman. With Shivna, Dancingonmoonlight, Pocket Queen and Ciccio Star drawn inside him there was no shortage of early speed, but after Shivna broke De Filippi managed to get Caps Off to the front and then waited for Tupelo Rose to come round and take over. From there the pair had the best seat in the house. Tupelo Rose stacked the field up and tried to outsprint her opposition; Caps Off was equal to the task and nabbed her illustrious rival in the shadows of the post after she ran out under pressure. "She's very fast out of the gate, if she needs to be," Negus continued. "But she's a frail little thing, and she's been a bit timid and a bit weak so we've been a bit scared to use that speed. Lately she has become stronger though and Colin and I have had more confidence that she can do things."

Despite being confident that Caps Off was improving, Negus said they never envisaged her beating such a quality field of fillies. "It wasn't expected," he said. "The run was fortuitous, but in saying that she is a very determined little cookie and she deserved the win. She can follow a hot pace all day. They have got home in 56.5 tonight but she stuck to her guns. Being by Caprock out of a Nero's B B mare she is all Nevele R bred too, so it was quite fitting that she should win a race named after Wayne Francis."

Bred by Nevele R's Danny Boyle, his brother-in-law Ross Stewart and Canterbury Jockey Club's C.E.O. Tim Mills, Caps Off was first sighted by Casey when she had a workout round Addington Raceway as a yearling in July, 1998. Pacing a mile in 2:08, home in 59.4 and 28.4, the co-proprietor of Inter-Island Horse Transport bought her on the spot. Despite another horse of his, Africa, finishing second in two Inter-Dominion Trotting Grand Finals, Caps Off gave him his biggest harness racing thrill.

"Trevor's been a very good owner for the industry, and me in particular," Negus said. "Caps Off has been a bit of a heartache for him. She's put both her back legs through the fence at different times, and she must have kicked at least half a dozen people without warning. She has won five of her 11 starts though, which is pretty good considering she has been unlucky several times or only 80% fit on other occasions. She is a bossy and fearless little thing around home, and can be a real mole. She will try to get other horses to communicate with her, and once they come near she'll swing round and lash out at them. Lately that mean streak seems to have disappeared, because she has taken on Thunder Atom as a paddock mate and seems to be a lot happier since."

Credit: John Robinson writing in NZHR Weekly

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The winners connections

2000 SMOKEFREE NZ DERBY

Rumpole of the Bailey came to Addington in the disguise of Ken Barron on Easter Saturday. The portly courtroom advocate swabbed wig and gown for silk and sash as the result of the Smokefree New Zealand Derby went to the judiciary for a ruling. Besides Barron, the principals before the bench were Stipendary Steward Steve Mulcay who instigated the inquiry, Maurice McKendry, driver of Hunka Hickling who failed by a nose to beat Stars And Stripes in the classic, and Roger Sandford, Chairman of the Judicial Control panel. What developed in the room started a few minutes earlier on the track when Stars And Stripes appeared to check Hunka Hickling 50m or 60m short of the post.

But we'll just rewind at this point and place the horses about 20 seconds out from the 'offence.' From last at the 1200m, Stars And Stripes had circled the field three wide with cover from Rap, and was straightening five carts wide and about to be let down by Barron. Closer in and further back, McKendry was finding room for Hunka Hickling down on the passing lane. Within sight of the post, and clear of the others, and under a very hard drive, Stars And Stripes lost his compass and lurched across the track until he corrected himself in the passing lane area. By this time, Hunka Hickling was cutting into the same area at a fair bat and McKendry drew the ear plugs as he closed. With Stars And Stripes clear of him by at least two lengths, McKendry had to take a quick hold, considering the speed of his run, give him the right rein to steer round Stars And Stripes and wind up from there. He failed by a nose and within seconds Mulcay was on the button to have a look at it.

With the parties assembled, the first look at the side-ons, head-ons and back views of the incident did not bode well for the defence. Barron could see it was going to be no push-over. When asked how much he was affected by Stars And Stripes, McKendry did some hand signals. "No, tell us how much," said Sandford. "Three or four strides, I think. I'd say half a length. It's cost me going for him sooner." John Lischner, the trainer of Stars And Stripes who represented the owners, said: "The horse exploded clear and far too early for the others. To be dead honest, I don't agree with Mr McKendry."

Barron explained to the panel that by the time he had got down to the passing lane: "I believe my horse was two lengths clear of Hunka Hickling. I don't feel I impeded him. Mr McKendry had the entire straight to come through." Twenty minutes had passed by this stage and Sandford went to wrap it up. "If I could..." "Have you got more evidence, Mr Barron? Do you want the film again? Get up and show me," said Sandford. Barron did, and he would say later this was the turning point of the case. He went to his feet and asked for the film to be stopped just where McKendry was taking the check. "See here, where I'm this much in front. This is where I've come from. You can see I'm always in the clear." "I see your point, Mr Barron. That will do us," said Sandford.

In the time it takes to leave the room and return, Sandford was back and dismissed the charge. McKendry was disappointed. "We got a definite check, you could see that, but that's the way it goes." Later, Barron would say that revisiting the film at the conclusion of the inquiry was the turning point. "I felt it wasn't illustrated enough earlier. I had to show again how far clear he was of Hunka Hickling when he got down there," he said.

Barron admitted that Stars And Stripes went past the leaders with more acceleration than he expected. "I thought it might have taken fifty or eighty metres to do the job, but he got past them in three strides. I either over-rated the others he was passing or under-rated what he can do with a finish like that. I don't know what you think, but I reckon he could have won by five lengths had he run it straight," he said. Barron said he thought the tendancy of Stars And Stripes to race in a vague direction on his own may be a trait of stock sired by New York Motoring. He recalled that Master Musician, by the same horse, did the same when he ran clear in the New Zealand Cup only to be collared by Bee Bee Cee.

Now the biggest stake earner in New Zealand this season, ahead of Lyell Creek and Homin Hosed, Stars And Stripes has one more race this season, the New South Wales Derby at Harold Park at the end of May.

The best of those behind Hunka Hickling was Handoverbid, a stablemate of the winner, who led in the middle stages and then trailed Written In The Stars.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRNZ Weekly

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2000 FIRESTONE FIREHAWK TZ100 FREE-FOR-ALL

We are unlikely to see Agua Caliente ever race from a stand again. But Glen Wolfenden will settle for that.

This time last year he tried desperately to settle Agua Caliente during the seemingly endless delay to the start of 1999's NZ Cup, and at the end of the event he had a horse with only three legs. "He tore all the cartilage in his ankle that day, and he was that lame and that sore when he came off the track I didn't think he would ever race again," Wolfenden recalled. "The course vet worked all night on him. But he is a lot sounder and a lot happier this time round, and after he paced a half in 55 seconds at the trials the other day I knew he was about as good as we could get him."

Wolfenden wasn't wrong. He and Agua Caliente tagged onto the back of Stars And Stripes in the minor Free-For-All on Cup Day, and those that were waiting for the Lischner runner's sprint soon saw that there was something else with an even bigger turbo boost. Agua Caliente was timed to run his last quarter in 26.2 seconds. "And he knocked off once he got to the front, he's a bugger for doing that," Wolfenden continued. I didn't want to use him out of the gate because the big free-for-all is only three days away - that is our main target this year. Stands really are a waste of time for him, even today with all the hype he nearly wouldn't go out onto the track at all before his race. I am just glad that the public got a chance to see what he can do. This horse has been through hell - but he keeps coming back."


Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 16Nov00

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2000 INTERNATIONAL CARGO EXPRESS RISING STARS 3YO CHAMPIONSHIP

Age has dimmed Robin Butt's athletic prowess somewhat. The West Melton trainer took to the Queen's Drive fence near the birdcage at Addington Raceway with the intent of an Olympic high jumper, but the execution of the leap suggested he was not quite medal material. Butt watched a clinical performance by City Rogue to beat Niobium in the $30,000 International Cargo Express Rising Stars 3-Year-Old Championship from the public stand, and took the short cut to the winner's circle.

City Rogue trailed Niobium and said goodbye with a sharp burst of speed at the 200m that quickly put the result beyond doubt. Within 10 minutes, Butt was more concerned with the run on Niobium who is not in the class of Niobium but certainly more competitive than he showed in this race. "He should have been a bit sharper," Butt told driver Anthony Butt. "By the look of it, I have been a bit light on him this week. He has had four races in four weeks, so perhaps I was too kind on him," he said.

The winner of two races, more than $25,000 and still a maiden, Niobium will race at Kaikoura before the Sires' Stakes Final at the NZ Cup meeting next month. City Rogue, the winner of five of his eight starts, will stick to the trials. As far as type goes, City Rogue looks as good as he is. He has height and a good deep brown colour, strength and conformation, and presence without making an issue of it. Butt says he is an easy horse to work with. "The two of them are great mates. They have always been together," he said.

Over the years, Butt has trained some great horses and many good ones. Two of the best were Miracle Mile winner Locarno and NZ Cup winner Camelot, and they were followed by Anzus, Finest Hour, Wood Chip and others in the middle grades. "City Rogue is up with the best I have trained, and potentially as good as Locarno and Camelot," he said. In recent times, Butt has cut his team down to a size that he can pretty much manage on his own.

David Butt, Robin's son and driver of City Rogue, says he has never driven a 3-year-old as good. "No, nothing in his class," he said. So, now we await with interest...the clash of City Rogue with crack northerner Matai Mackenzie...and the hurdling form of one of the great horsemen.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18Oct00

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Keith Shadbolt, Bob McArdle & Dean Taylor

2000 NEVELE R SUPERSTARS 4YO CHAMPIONSHIP

Dean Taylor experienced one of his most exciting moments in harness racing when Bruzem won the Nevele R Stud Superstars Championship at Addington. "Rare Touch finished second in the NZ Derby (to Ginger Man) was a huge thrill, as was Black Eyed Bailey's Ashburton Cup win, but this is certainly equal to them," he said.

Taylor has always thought highly of the Holmes Hanover gelding. He and Bruzem's owner Keith Shadbolt began this season intending to concentrate on the 4-year-old Sires' Stakes Series, but when the Superstars event fitted into the overall plan they decided to tackle it as well. "I had my reservations, but I knew if he made a clean beginning then he wouldn't be made a fool of," Taylor said.

Unbeaten in four starts prior, no-one told Bruzem how good his opposition were so he just went out there and did what he knew best. After beginning swiftly he and pilot Mark Jones went straight to the front and controlled the race; a last 800m split of 56.4 put his opposition to bed. "I knew at the half that we would be hard to beat because we had been left alone in front," Jones said afterwards. "Bruzem's as good as any horse I have driven that is coming up through the grades."

A lovely horse to look at in the way he holds himself on the track, Taylor says Bruzem has got a nature to match - but it wasn't always that way. "When I broke him in as a late yearling he was a dirty bugger and would just lean all over you," Taylor recalled. "But instead of taking a hard approach I went with him, and let him have his own way for a while. If I'd have fought him he would have just fought me, but he eventually came to it."

Bruzem's bid for Sires' Stakes supremacy as a 4-year-old is a sort of consolation for last year, because he had to miss the series due to injury. "Not long after his debut at Forbury Park last August he developed a little bit of filling in a fetlock, so we turned him out on the hills at Kaituna Valley for six months. I wanted to bring him back thin, because I knew he would put muscle on if I jogged and fed him through the winter. He was in a 500 acre paddock with five other horses, and it is a pretty rugged block of land that is uphill all the way. He was pretty pleased to see me when I went to get him," Taylor said.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 20Sep00

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2000 AIR NEW ZEALAND SIRES' STAKES 2YO FILLIES CHAMPIONSHIP

Jim Holland thought he would "go up" to see Shania Patron race in the Air New Zealand Sires' Stakes Fillies Championship at Addington. But from his farm in the deep south, 17km out of Wyndham, he thought against it when he saw she had drawn the outside of the front line. He admits that he is not as agile as he once was, and that was a reason, too. "I am coming up 82 in July and my legs have packed up."

So he settled for Trackside and that would have been fine had it not been for the fog that came in thick and fast a race earlier, and made much of it a blur. But Jim had a good look at her in the straight, where she came with a determined finish for Ricky May - who considered the outside barrier a 20 metre handicap - from three-wide in the middle line to cruise past the plucky Tiger Turner and English Elegance.

By Holmes Hanover, the sire also of Tiger Turner, Shania Patron is a sister to the former grand 3-year-old No Return who won two legs of the John Brandon triple crown in the early 90's. She is raced by Jim, his wife Irene, and Brendan McLellan, who trains her and helps Jim look after his four mares and young stock. Jim sent four mares to the stud this season, but suspects three of them may not be in foal. Shania Patron is one of three fillies left by Patroness, an El Patron mare who died before her time after a kick in the ribs broke a blood vessel. Her last two foals were fillies - Shania Patron and a sister McLellan has in work at present.

Jim has been racing and breeding horses for more than 30 years, his best being his first, Adios Adieu, who won 11. The first horse he bred was Refluent, by Quiet Water, who won six from the stable of 'Ginger' Bourne. He sold a Holmes Hanover-Some Legacy colt at this year's yearling sales for $34,000.

From the time 34-year-old McLellan started training, he has had a horse of the Hollands'. The first was Boyden's Beau, who came from Terry May's stable after he had gone sore, and won five. He trained Anna Patron, by Armbro Raven from Patroness, and she won five before being sold and taking a 1:55 mark in America. And while Shania Patron has claims to being the best he has trained, that honour still rests with the speedy Happy Patron who won the sprint leg of the John Brandon series in 1989.

There is a strong chance that will change soon. The owners have already knocked back a six-figure offer, and McLellan says Shania Patron is still improving. "This race had always been at the back of my mind," he said, "and she is just got better with each start. We will probably look at the Caduceus Classic now in June 9, and make a late payment ($7500) for that," he said.

McLellan works a team of 14 and says the win has come at an ideal time. "I get married in July, so it is a big thrill to win a race like this," he said.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 31 May00

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2000 HYDROFLOW FILLIES SERIES(FINAL)

By now, Tupelo Rose will be back home in Melbourne. On Saturday she was in Auckland, on Friday she was in Christchurch, winning the Hydroflow Fillies Series Final from Dancingonmoonlight and Caps Off at Addington, and on Monday trainer Ted Demmler was unsure whether she would havejust one more Oaks start this season or two.

"It all depends on her," he said. "She can have two, bu it has been a big season for her. She is not jaded. That's not the right word. But it is probably true to say that she has come back to the other fillies more than they have come up to her," he said.

Demmler blamed himself and his drive for the defeat of Tupelo Rose in the New Zealand Oaks the week before. "I was disappointed she got beaten in that race," he said. "If you get one on your back that is going well and if you get one or two niggling at you along the way, as happened in the Oaks, it makes you go a bit sooner than you would like to. On Friday night, the second and third horses both came off nice runs, but I felt at the end that my filly could have drawn away," he said.

Demmler said he was pleased with the manner in which Tupelo Rose had recovered from her Hydroflow win. "She has pulled up as if she hasn't been around. Her handler is more buggered than she is. She just loves racing, enjoys her work at home and has a wonderful constitution," he said. Demmler said he had no plans for her next season, but said the Inter-Dominions "and races like that" were out.

Demmler trains Tupelo Rose for Gordon Banks and Marc Hanover, of New York, and John Curtin, of New Zealand, who bought her from Andrew Gannell and partners for approximately $A300,000. "I haven't met her American owners," said Demmler,"but I was surprised Andrew sold her. Banks and Hanover, partners with George Shaw in the stallion Presidential Ball, were keen to align themselves with the industry while in New Zealand at Easter and told Curtin to "buy them the best filly." She has since raced six times for them, winning five and finishing a close second in the other.

"Marc and Gordon have heard ever race she has been in, and can't speak highly enough of Ted's professionalism and the way he operates," Curtin said. "They plan to leave her down here, and she will go to Presidential Ball eventually. Their plan is to re-invest down here, and they have made a great start," he said.

As it turned out, the three principals in the finish of the Oaks were the same three in the finish of the Hydroflow.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 17May00

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2000 PGG NZ PREMIER MARES CHAMPIONSHIP

A tactical decision by Colin De Filippi to outsprint Hawera rather than outstay her was the turning point in the win by Kym's Girl in the NZ Premier Mares Championship.

A renowned fast-finisher coming off the back of horses, Kym's Girl was up for a stayer's run - which she had managed so well on the track a fortnight earlier. Given the chance of a breather on Hawera's back briefly in the straight, instead of sustaining a hard push wider out, De Filippi took it. Gambling on Kym's Girl still being sharp enough to deliver her sting from cover, De Filippi brought her out at the 100m. The operation was skilfull, the timing was precision-perfect, and Kym's Girl cut it fine but made it by a nose.

Owners Dave Miller, Graham Trist and Bill Marra were again lavish in their credits for the driver. "Colin has been a huge help in getting Kym's Girl to where she is. He has driven her in 11 of her 12 wins and in most of her other races, but when things haven't gone her way he has never knocked her around. She has always been able to come back and pick her form up again," said Trist.

Miller is a pig farmer and small-time trainer, though he is keen to be out of the pigs and more into training. Besides Kym's Girl and C1 pacer Afella's Joy, he is working a sister to Afella's Joy, and 2-year-olds by Motu Mister Smooth and Man Araound Town. "Dave deserves as much credit," said Trist. "He gives her a slow build-up over the winter and has her at peak for Cup Day," he said.

By their own admission, the partners operate at the lower end of the market, and Miller won his first two races with Cosby, a son of Lord Module. He has no stock by the high-flying sires in his stable, and he has a share in four foals this season by the sire of Kym's Girl, Man Around Town. The partners are on good terms with studmaster and historian Jim Dalgety, who predicted when the mare was C4 she would make Cup class. He also beat the drum for Man Around Town, sending a number of mares to him this season including Happy Hazel, 1:57.6, the Vance Hanover mare, Vancellini Queen, and Koau Dream (Knowing Bret-Daisy Charles).

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 15Mar00

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2000 NRM SIRES' STAKES 2YO TROTTERS CHAMPIONSHIP.

Almost everyone expected a son of Sundon to win the $20,000 NRM Sires' Stakes Trotters Championship...and one did. But instead of it being the $1.20 hot favourite Dependable, home bowled the $61.85 shot Castleton's Mission.

Castleton's Mission is raced by the 30-member Trotting NZ Syndicate, and the half of them that were there on the night were still in shock some hours later at what their trotter had achieved. "We are just so amazed at the turnaround of this horse in the last couple of weeks," said syndicate manager Mike Gourdie. "This really is a dream come true."

Like his name suggests, Castleton's Mission belongs to the same family as Sir Castleton - his dam Castleton's Dream is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to the former trotting superstar. The gelding was purchased at the sales from Impact Bloodstock's Ron Burrell, and within half an hour Gourdie and trainer Michael House were getting reassurance that they had made a wise choice. "Ron came up to us and said that Castleton's Mission was a very nice horse, and that he really didn't want to sell him," Gourdie recalled. "And once he found out that he was going to be raced by a syndicate, he wanted a share right there and then. Ron was so sure that Castleton's Mission would win races, and pledged that if he didn't I could go around to his place and have any horse out of the paddock I wanted. In the birdcage after Friday's race he said it was a hell of a way to get off a bet."

For Castleton's Mission to even line up last Friday was a mission in itself. Broken in by 'Coaster' Howe, the gelding showed ability virtually from day one. Set for the four main baby trotting races, Castleton's Mission broke in both his lead-up non-tote races during April and was still well down the preference list for last week's event. "It came down to getting him qualified before the acceptances closed, to give him a chance of getting a start," Gourdie said. "So the only opportunity was to trek him down to Oamaru last Sunday. And after a three and a half float trip either way, Michael rang with the good news saying he had won his trial and qualified."

In getting a start in the NRM Trotter's Championship, Castleton's Mission gave the Trotting NZ Syndicate a handy-second stringer. They also race the Sundon-Pleasant Evening gelding Evening Dash, bought at the same sales on their behalf for $12,000 by Weedons trainer/driver Kevin Townley. "Evening Dash had won a mile trial at Ashburton, and ran second to Sun Del in a non-tote here at Addington. With him drawn two and Castleton's Mission put on the unruly after Michael asked him to be, we obviously thought that Dash was going to be our best chance. And we knew they were both up against it with the reputation Dependable had," Gourdie said.

Up against it, but not without a show was the attitude that the syndicate members took into the race. Their hopes for Evening Dash were shattered soon after the start when he broke, but then so did the favourite, losing even more ground. It was left to Castleton's Mission. Five lengths behind the mobile as the field was released, Castleton's Mission was sent around the field passing the 1000m mark and drew up alongside leader Glowing Gold with 700m to run. Second favourite Sun Del was always going sweetly in the trail, but Gourdie's eyes were glued on Castleton's Mission as the leading trio swung for home. "I started to shake," he said. "It was just how the whole race had unfolded. Not only was he suddenly in with a realistic chance, I knew he was good enough. With what we had gone through to get him here tonight, it really was a farytale ending."

Making the result even sweeter for the syndicate was Castleton's Mission's time - his 2:30.2 shaved 0.2 seconds off Dependable's NZ Record set on April 27 when Castleton's Mission finished 58 lengths behind him.

The Trotting NZ Syndicate is the sixth syndicate set up by Gourdie's company Regency Standardbred Syndication since he kicked off two years ago. Their members hail from Christchurch, Wellington, Cambridge, Hamilton, Taranaki and Auckland, one in Australia and four in Japan.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 10May00