7 August 2024 , News
Two firsts for Williamson trotter
Torquay Street not only won her first race at Addington on Friday night but became the first winner under HRNZ's new Fillies and Mares' Breeding Credit Scheme. The Phil Williamson-trained three-year-old Father Patrick Filly led, then got the trail before peeling out to win the IRT.Your Horse. Our Passion Trot by three quarters of a length. The Fillies and Mares Scheme, which came into effect on August 1, gives a $750 + GST credit for any Filly and Mare winning any race. Previously the credit was only given out to winners in Fillies and Mares races. The credit's maximum is $6000.
300 for Purdon-Phelan
The in-form partnership of Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan trained their 300th winner together when Artisan won the Stonewall Stud and Stables Mobile Pace at Alexandra Park on Friday night. It was their 37th win for the year and completed a race night double. They had earlier won with Ilsas Son who gave employee Harrison Orange his first victory with his very first race day drive. Purdon and Phelan have trained together in two separate stints, 2007-2011 and then from 2020.
Quick turnaround for Major Moth
New Zealand Cup wildcard Major Moth is on the quick back-up at Albion Park in Brisbane on Saturday night. The injury-plagued pacer turned plenty of heads winning his first start for Jason Grimson at Albion Park last Saturday night and firmed into $6 third favourite for the NZ Cup. Grimson was so pleased with the six-year-old’s recovery from his first race this year, he opted to run him again in a slightly harder race over 2138m this Saturday night. Grimson, who trained Swayzee to win last year’s NZ Cup, has openly touted Major Moth as a genuine chance to be at Addington on November 12.
Dex goes 6 at the Big M
Ten-time Kiwi champion driver Dexter Dunn had arguably his best day in the sulky in North America this year, with six wins on Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. On the 16-race programme, the four-time US driver of the year won with Upallnighthanover, Supernova Hanover, Slip Sliding Away, Jiggy Jog S, Champagne Problems and Twin B Joe Fresh. He also owns a share of Twin B Joe Fresh who destroyed the field in a 1:48 victory in the Lady Liberty Stakes for her sixth win in seven starts this year. Dunn has won 146 races and stakes of $4.75m in 2024 so far.
Karl wins Hambletonian
In driving rain, favourite Karl gave Canadian Hall of Fame driver Yannick Gingras his first win in the $1m Hambletonian Classic at the Meadowlands. It was his first victory in 12 attempts. It also gave trainer Nancy Takter back-to-back victories in the great race, following on from Tactical Approach last year. It was the 99th running of the Hambletonian and was Karl's 15th win in 17 starts for Takter and the rest of the ownership group. The time for the mile was 1:51.6.
Maiden win for big money purchase
A $150,000 purchase from the Christchurch National Yearling Sales, Adored Dreamer opened her account at Addington on Friday night. Bought by Stonewall Stud, and trained by Steve and Amanda Telfer, the half-sister to Akuta had had three starts up north last campaign before winning her first race, at Addington.
Goodman has junior driver debut
A finalist in the HRNZ Cadet of the Year competition last year, Georgia Goodman had her first race day drive as a junior driver when Bill Bootit, trained by her father Ian Goodman, finished fourth in the Creation Signs Handicap Trot at Winton last Thursday. Employed by Nathan Williamson at Branxholme in Southland, Goodman had had one previous drive. She was given permission to steer Gunner Andy at Gore in February because a junior drivers' race was short of drivers.
Aussie trotter heading to the Dominion?
Talented former Kiwi trotter Harry Stamper could be a starter in the $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion at Addington in November after his impressive win in the Aldebaran Park Trotters Free For All at Melton in Victoria on Saturday night. Trainer Joe Pace is satisfied Harry Stamper is back to his best following a neck injury he sustained earlier in the year.
“We are discussing about him going home to race in the Dominion as the distance will suit him and he is good from the stand,” he says. Harry Stamper won two from seven for Phil Williamson before heading to Australia in March 2022.
Cobbity Classic dies aged 25
Best known on this side of the Tasman for his second place finish in the 2006 New Zealand Cup, Cobbity Classic has died in Australia, aged 25. He was the winner of 44 wins from 128 starts, with stakes earnings of $586K. In the New Zealand Cup he finished second to Flashing Red, the first of his two Cup wins. Cobbity Classic's last race was in 2008 at Albion Park in Brisbane which was fitting as 38 of his wins had been at "The Creek".
The Blue September "raffle" dog wins again
There's been a second success for a greyhound who was part of a cross code fund-raiser held for Harness Racing New Zealand's Blue September campaign in 2022. Trained by Dan Roberts, Wedderburn won his second race at Addington on Monday. Two years ago Roberts raffled off a 25 per cent share in the dog, with tickets costing just $10 each. Mel Townley-Knight had the winning ticket and named the dog and now gets to pocket one quarter of all win and place stakes earnings. With two wins from 11 starts the dog's total earnings now stand at $3340. The raffle at the time raised $1500 for Blue September, which raises funds annually for prostate cancer research and awareness.
