A Class field of two-year-old pacing fillies headline the shift up a gear to group and stakes racing this weekend! A total of 44 series eligible horses entered for the 6 series races worth a combined $280 000 in stake monies!
If you thought those successful, large-logo syndicates were mostly for folks who stay at home and watch from the sofa—think again.
Some players still compete at or administer sports at national anthem level.
Others turn up trackside at every opportunity, often donning colour coordinated, brand-affiliated merch on race nights.
Then there are those who are up and down the countryside chasing their ‘blue blood’ from race to race, hoping for a small share in the spoils and a large slice of the social action.
Dawn and Geoff Evans only just made it to Christchurch in time to see their glamour girl, ‘Lizzie’, run in the Caduceus Club Prelude at Addington earlier this month.
Not because their flight was late—more the Friday traffic was surprisingly busy from Picton to Canterbury, and maneuvering their motorhome in the late afternoon city rush wasn’t as cruisey as hoped.
They’d tripped down from their Taranaki home base the day before, yes including the inter islander, having just been in the big smoke—Auckland—watching one of the Woodlands Partnership No. 3 Syndicate’s prospects, ‘Princess Gracey’, kick off her spring with a win at ‘The Park’.
“We met with our campervan friend Kerry (Moir) and got here just as Lizzie was heading onto the track,” explained Dawn from the comforts of the winners’ bar, celebrating success for their classy filly, the partnership, and Kentuckiana Stables—who were also faithfully represented.
For Cran and Chrissie Dalgety, it was a first-time meet and greet with some of the owners.
“It was good to catch up with those in charge,” mused Cran, who revealed Lizzie as a late bloomer and a pleasant surprise this campaign. “She was just in the pack early on, and then she ‘arrived’ this last preparation as camp leader. She doesn’t give the impression she’s finished either—judging by tonight’s run.”
Lizzie Borden is the sole South Islander heading north to take on nine northern-based fillies in Auckland for the $110,000 Caduceus Club Two-Year-Old Final.
Despite a wide alley, she’ll give as good as she gets, if her Prelude performance is a measure.
For the travelling fan club, a decision looms: head back to Auckland and watch Lizzie go in the City of Sails, or park up at Motukarara for a day at the country trots to celebrate Dawn’s birthday as planned previously?
Kerry’s keen on the latter—given the scenery and a promising weather forecast.
He was encouraged by Geoff and Dawn to join the Woodlands Partnership No. 3 Syndicate for some fun among good friends.
“It’s fantastic being in these glamour pacing races,” Kerry said. “A different experience for me, given I’ve been racing trotters with the Griffins Syndicate for a few years.”
No shortage of ‘glamour’ racing with that group either—they’ve campaigned a stack of super square-gaiters from Majestic Man down over many seasons.
“I think we’ll have a couple of trotters in at Banks Peninsula, so that might add to the whole big birthday day out too.”
A dreaded aero plane might help make a two venue, perfect scenario this weekend for these motorhome buddies—barreling from one racecourse to the next, watching their fast nags and soaking up the God Zone countryside between stops at their own speed.
A special lifestyle if you can make it happen you think?
The Woodlands Stud Harness 7000 might be a race under review—but if that was its final chapter, it certainly went out with a bang.
This Listed Stakes event is no ordinary contest.
For New Zealand Sires’ Stakes eligible horses, bred by stallions with a service fee of $7000 or less at the time of conception.
In short: a $50,000 stakes race for three-year-old pacers who sit just outside the rock star ratings. And didn’t they put on a match?
Scorched-earth tactics early saw the favourites burn their chances late, playing perfectly into the hands of Phil and Christine Smith’s homebred son of Sportswriter—Berrettini.
The race unfolded like a tennis rally, with driver Robbie Close and Berrettini holding their nerve until it mattered most to gain the upper hand in the shadows of the post. For Phil, who enjoys a wee flutter and partner Christine, that $50 win dividend will have lasted long into weekend celebrations.
A well-deserved result for committed connections, and a fitting showcase for a race that gives the underdogs their moment and has helped launch some past winners into a brighter spotlight shortly after their Harness 7000 success!
For ‘the little pro’, as he was described by driver Robbie Close after this win, next missions will include the ‘Sophomore Classic’ on October 17th and a trip to beautiful Kaikoura the first weekend of November. The latter a happy hunting ground for any fan but especially these connections who started the winning ways of Berrettini’s half-brother Nandolo back in 2017. Also bred and raised by the Smith’s he was, until recently, New Zealand’s fastest ever pacer boasting a 1.48.6-mile time in the United States where he’s been racing for several seasons now.
The old “one-two” followed by a three might’ve knocked a little reality back into Nevele R Series discussions.
As a timely reminder of just how good you’ve got to be to stay in the mix, ‘Cullen Racing’ rolled into Oamaru and steam-punked the competition with a stable trifecta by some margin in heat 4 of the great fillies’ series. Winelight beating Arafura and General Jen in national record time, no less.
The track was sizzling for Hannon Day, and with a five-month birthday advantage over previous record holders, rewriting the age-group record books might become a regular headline in the coming peak stakes seasons.
“Wake up Maggie, I think I’ve got something to say to you” …
“Yes Rod—I’m in the Nevele R Fillies Final!” How cool?
Sweet Maggie Mae made Heat 3 look easy—winning by more than five lengths, home in a blistering 26 seconds-ish, hood still on.
No frills, just fast.
And now a more tractable concern since Autumn when she was prone to over doing it at times most notably in the Northern Oaks last May.
As the applicable Rod Stewart album title goes, “Every Picture Tells a Story”!
Go well.
Go fast. You glory-chasing fillies!
