The 31st Southland Harness Racing Awards sponsored by Southern Harness Inc were held at the Ascot Park Hotel in Invercargill on Sunday 12 August 2018. Following pre dinner drinks and dinner, awards were presented.
Washington VC mare It’s Ella was the horse honoured on the night. The winner of sixteen races for trainers Brendon McLellan (ten) and David and Catherine Butt (six), her Group One victory was achieved in the PGG Wrightson New Zealand Breeders Stakes. She also won the Group Two Caduceus Club Premier Mares Championship in consecutive years (2007 and 2008). Her main local victory came in the Invercargill Winter Cup. Significant placings numbered seconds in Queen of Hearts, Methven Cup and thirds in CPTC Winter Cup, Ashburton Flying Stakes and NZ Trotting Cup. Her amassed earnings totalled $291,639 with a best mile rate of 1:56.4, 1950mM while she was NZ Aged Pacing Mare of the Year in both 2007 and 2008.
Among major award winners on the night were :
- Southland Standardbred Breeders Broodmare of Southland Award : JOYFULBELLE
Joyfulbelle – Miracle Lodge Syndicate Road Machine/Rockne Dell mare owned by Clark Barron and Eric Parr. The winner of eight herself and now mum to eight, five of whom have been to the races, the first of which was Joyfuljoy – winner of eleven races including two three year old Group One’s (Jewels Diamond/NZSS Fillies Championship) and dam of three year old winner Rock N Joy this season.
Joyfulbelle’s next foal to race was Jumpforjoy – winner of Southland Oaks, third Diamond Jewels, dam of Somejoy who enjoyed an excellent second season (4yo) with six victories in ten outings earning her connections $47,230, 1:53.2, a Southland mares record (five of six wins in under 1:56.0 mile rates). Fullojoy followed, winner of one and the dam of a
winner this season in Firstjoy. Pride N Joy qualified and was sent to the broodmare paddock is
the dam of two winners this season in Gift O Joy and Australian Gp1 winner Majorpride (WA Diamond Classic). Bettor Joy, her latest to race has a lifetime record of ten wins, eight of them in the season under review (two in Australia). She won the 3 year old NZ Yearling Sales series final, Ladyship Stakes, winning $232,208 in stakes this season. Joyfulbelles progeny have won a total of 29 races and she is the grand dam of four winners this season.
Other nominees with seasonal highlights listed were –
Galleons Honour : bred by Fanny Allen Trust and owned by Invercargill lawyer Lester Smith, one race winner Galleons Honour produced four individual winners in 2017/8 season. All four winners are the mare’s first four foals of racing age (five in total). They were : Dazed and Confused racing as Laszlo in Australia, winner of nine including one this season at Globe Derby; Venice Beach (My Venice Beach AUS), winner of three in NZ before export to Australia where she has won nine, four this season including two at Menangle, one in a career best 1:53.4; Duke of Wellington, Southland Horse of Year nominee, winner of five from ten starts, placed second on three occasions and third and fourth once each. Winner of $45,000 Group Two Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes, his season’s earnings were $54,280, 1:53.5; Two year old Rise Above This won her first start at Winton pacing the mile in 1:58.5.
Righteous Franco : bred by Spreydon Lodge and owned by Gore breeder Pat Kubala (Charlton Park Enterprises Ltd), her fourth of four foals (six in total including 2yo qualifier) to date to race was major seasonal winner in Pats Delight. Among his six wins ($171,313, 1:52.7, nine wins overall) from fifteen starts were his Three Year Old Emeralds victory on Harness Jewels Day at Cambridge over Sheriff and NZMTC Summer Cup against open class pacers. He was beaten a nose by Sheriff in the NZ Derby run in NZ record (3yo/all comers) time of 3:05.4 for 2600Mm. Lightning Mach, won five races in America in the 2018 season (ten in NZ and eighteen in total in USA; 1:51.1, $181,238). Rapid Mach won three, Rapid Flight, three time place getter are others to race to date.
- Elite Racing Products : Southland Horse of the Year : DUKE OF WELLINGTON
- Duke Of Wellington – Photo Bruce Stewart
Duke Of Wellington (American ideal/Galleons Honour) : formerly owned by Lester Smith, trained by Lauren Pearson and now owned by the Butterworths, from ten race starts he finished in the money on every occasion; the winner of five races, last four in succession, running second three times, and third and fourth once each. Winner of $45,000 Group Two Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes, his season’s earnings were $54,280, 1:53.6 at Wairio.
Other nominees with seasonal highlights listed were –
Somejoy (Somebeachsomewhere/Jumpforjoy) : Southland’s leading mare for the season for the Miracle Lodge Syndicate, Somejoy enjoyed an excellent second season (4yo) with six victories and a third in ten outings for trainer Clark Barron, earning her connections $47,230, 1:53.2, a Southland mares record at Wairio (five of six wins in under 1:56.0 mile rates). She has been retired to the broodmare paddock.
War Machine (Pegasus Spur/Our Super Ann) : owned by Kenny and Joelle Baynes, trained by Tony Stratford, this trotter was the winner of five races from fifteen starts, placed on five occasions earning $43,995 (just $95 more than Smokey Mac), best mile rate of T2:03.7 with a fifth placing to Enghien in 4yo Trotters Championship, ninth in Rowe Cup and fourth placing in the 4yo Jewels Ruby to Habibi Inta.
Smokey Mac (Thanksgiving-Uncatchable) : trotter trained by Brett Gray for Pam and
John McLeod of Winton. The winner on six occasions and placed three times from fourteen attempts during the latest season for earnings of $43,900. Smokey Mac trotted his best winning time of 1.57.7 at Wairio.
Southland Achievement of Year: KENNY BAYNES
Kenny Baynes : Chatton farmer and horseman, President of Gore HRC, sponsor, as Baynes Racing Ltd in partnership with his wife Jo and sister in law Penny owned/part owned horses that won twenty one races (seventeen in Southland; three with Royal Bengal from Ken and Tony Barron’s Canterbury stable; one with Brent Lilley in Victoria) in the latest season – War Admiral (3), War Machine (5), Royal Bengal (3), Mucho Macho Man (1), Especial (3), Envious (1), Too Cool (1), Full Noise (1) and Convair Hustler (1) with all except Royal Bengal trained in Southland. His runners included three starters in this season’s Harness Jewels : Royal Bengal, Full Noise (second in 2YO Ruby) and War Machine (fourth in 4yo Ruby).
Other nominees with seasonal highlights listed were :
Brent Barclay : second leading Southland driver in 2017/8 with forty victories, a career best stakes earned of $391,737 (leading driver Nathan Williamson : 42). Many of his winners came from Brett Gray’s stable with his seasonal highlights being driving Full Noise to second in the 2yo Jewels Ruby at Cambridge and winning the Group Two Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes with Duke Of Wellington (winner of five) for trainer and partner Lauren Pearson. Brent began his career as a junior driver in 1990 driving seventeen winners through 1993 before heading across the Tasman for a year to gain driving experience. Back in Southland he was quickly back into stride driving thirty one winners in the next three years, gaining the title of leading Southland junior driver in 1996 and 1997. Becoming an open driver in 1998, he has won the Southland drivers premiership three times in 2006-7-8 and has been runner up on several occasions. His total wins to date are 673.
Brett Gray : Leading Southland trainer for the second year running in 2017/8, his thirty four winners (ten with trotters including Smokey Mac – 6, Jen Jaccka – 2, Full Noise – 1), fifty seven placings for career best wins (eighteen different horses) and stakes earned of $328,868 ($130,000 plus more than previous season) were personal bests for the Ryal Bush trainer. He trained Group One place getter Full Noise (2yo Jewels Ruby) which established a Southland and New Zealand record for two year old trotters (2700m stand, T3:35.2, Ascot Park Raceway) and Jen Jaccka, Southland and New Zealand record’s over 2400m stand in T3:00.9/T2:01.3 at Winton. Prominent stable pacers included Better Be Ready (four wins), Elva Jaccka (3) and Zealand Star (3).
Murray Brown : during the latest season, become one of only two Southland trainers to have trained over 500 winners (other Hamish Hunter) when Soapbox won at Gore in September 2017. Training for thirty four years (1983/4), his first ever win was with Mike Adios on 22 September 1984. Following several years as a “Licence To Train” trainer (freezing worker) producing 37 wins, became a professional trainer in 1994 training eleven winners. Murray has trained over 20 winners in a season nine times and has been leading trainer in Southland on six occasions.
His most successful winner to date Beaudiene Bad Babe, won twenty two races including 4yo Jewels Diamond, Premier Mares Championships twice and Southland Oaks. Other good winners include Freeway Don (11 wins), Awesum Teddy (10), Highview Jude (9), Rimesaut (8), Absolutely Brilliant (8) and Mister Dale (8). He has employed a number of stablehands who have gone on to make a name for themselves in the industry : Gareth Dixon, Andrew Stuart, Kirsten Green, Archie Armour and Sheree Tomlinson among many others.
Sheree Tomlinson : leading junior driver in Southland in 2017/8 for the second year in a row with a personal best of thirty wins (twenty while living in Southland working for Murray Brown and ten whilst resident in Canterbury) placing her third on national Junior Drivers premiership. Sheree Tomlinson became the first female, youngest (nineteen at time) and second junior driver (Anthony Butt 1987 Simon Katz being first) to win the time honoured Group One Dominion Handicap at Addington in November driving her grandfather Ken Ford’s horse Amaretto Sun to win.
A list of other Award winners follows :
Southern Standardbred Breeders Trophies (leading stake earners 2017-2018) :
- 2YO Filly : RISE ABOVE THIS – Owner : Lester Smith; Trainer Lauren Pearson
- 3Y0 Filly: BETTERTHANBRIE – Owner : Murray Little; Trainer Paul Ellis
- Aged race mare : SOMEJOY– Owner : Miracle Lodge Syndicate; Trainer : Clark Barron
Group Race certificates :
- Bettor Joy – Breeder – Miracle Lodge Syndicate (Group Two Ladyship Stakes)
- Duke Of Wellington – Breeder – Lester Smith (Group Two Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes)
- Pat’s Delight – Breeder – Charlton Park Enterprises (Pat Kubala) (Group One Three Year Old Harness Jewels Emerald and Group Two Summer Cup)
Southern Standardbred Breeders Fastest Mile Rate – Filly or mare 2017-2018 :
- Somejoy 1-53.2 Wairio Trotting Club at Winton 24th March 2018 – Owner: Miracle Lodge Syndicate – Trainer: Clark Barron.
Southland Harness Awards :
- Two Year Old Colt/Gelding of the Year: FULL NOISE – Owner: Baynes Racing Limited; Trainer: Brett Gray. Note – first time 2yo award won by a trotter
Robin Dundee Club Awards :
- 3YO Filly: I’MALLABOUTTHEBASE – Owners : Steve and Carol Baucke; Trainer: Steve Baucke
- 3YO Colt or Gelding : DUKE OF WELLINGTON – Owner : Lester Smith; Trainer: Lauren Pearson
Caduceus Club of Southland Awards :
- Caduceus Club trotter : GRACE O’MALLEY – Owner : Go Ziggy Go Limited; Trainer: Curly Thomas
Southland Trainers and Drivers Association Awards :
- Leading Trainer: BRETT GRAY (34 Wins, $328,868, UDR 0.2129)
- Leading Driver: NATHAN WILLIAMSON (42 wins, $392,618, UDR 0.1964)
- Leading Junior Driver: SHEREE TOMLINSON (30 wins, $449,632, UDR 0.1215)
- Leading Trotting Driver of Year : BRENT BARCLAY (12 wins)
Contribution to Harness Racing : following persons were recognised for their long associations with their respective clubs and work behind the scenes –
a) JASON BOARD : Jason worked for Peter Burns from 1987 until 2000 when he left to work for NZ Couriers. He has held the position of secretary for many different associations, tallying 74 years of service to the industry. This has involved the Trainer & Drivers Association, Southland Standardbred Breeders, Caduceus Club, S.T.O.T.B, Invercargill Workouts, and N.Z Racing Managers. He has been race day secretary for the Omakau Trotting Club since 2002 and the Nelson Trotting Club since 2006. He is currently a trustee of Kids Kartz, which he helped set up 2009.
Jason was appointed General Manager of Southern Harness in 2016. He has been involved with racing gallopers in syndicates as well as in harness racing – shares in Fleeting Grin, Drive the Dream and Ivana Legacy and an unraced trotter named Agent Z.
b) ROSS WILSON : Ross has held a Licence to train since 1980 with his first winner Mr Majestic winning six times for Ross in 1980-81 season (eight in total). From 2007 Ross’s team started hitting their straps again with horses like Jimbob Jack, Von Regal, Annie Fitz, El Diablo, My Guy Mac and Milligan. Robyn’s Treasure, the winner of two Group 1 races for Ross was bred from in alternate years with long-time friend Graeme Edgar – winners from the Robyn families he has trained include Robyn’s Cullen, Robyn Joan, Rocking Robyn and Robyn’s Bad Boy.
Ross has been instrumental in assisting junior drivers gain a foothold – Dexter Dunn drove five winners for Wilson in 2010, Adam Sanderson (12), Craig Ferguson (19) and 11 since becoming an open driver; many other juniors have won for the stable. Ross has been on the committee of the Gore Harness Racing Club for many years and assists with the Gore workouts as well as his businesses being generous sponsors.
c) GRAHAM ROBERTSON QSM : Graeme Robertson has been involved in many organisations being a life member of seven. Elected onto the committee of the Riverton Trotting Club in 1961 he has been a committee member every year since (57 years). Vice-President (1972 – 1974), Club President (1974 – 1977) with the last forty years as Treasurer commencing in 1978, the year the Riverton club was granted its first totalizator licence. During this period the club has progressed from a small on-course only club that raced on Thursdays to a fully licenced trotting club. Graeme was made a life member in 2002.
The new recreational stand at the Rugby and Sports ground at Riverton has been named the GB Robertson Stand, a testimony to his long association with rugby and other sport played at the venue. Other sporting organisation Graeme’s been involved with over the years are Rowing, Golf, Bowls and Badminton. Graeme was awarded the QSM for services to Sport in 2017.
Southland Harness Racing Awards of Excellence :
- Sheree Tomlinson – First woman driver to win the time honoured Dominion Handicap Trot
- Pat’s Delight – Winner of the Group One Three Year Old Harness Jewels Emerald
- Havtime – Winner of the $146,250 Listed New Zealand Yearling Sales Fillies Final
Breeders Awards :
1:58 pins (trotters two minutes) for horses raced by members of the Southland Standardbred Breeders Association
- Betterthanbrie – Murray Little – Wyndham 17.03/2018 1-56.2.
- Debnita Rose – Paul Hailes, Jonny Turner and Carl McIntyre – Oamaru 24/09/2017 1-57.4.
- Franco Tai – Robert and Sharon Symon – NZ Metro 20/10/2017 1-57.0.
- Havtime – Murray, Malcolm and Sandra Little – Auckland 11/05/2018 1-58.0.
- Mach’s Back – Murray Little – Winton 14/04/2018 1-57.3.
- Mighty Conqueror – Mark Shirley and Malcolm Dewe – Winton 14/04/2018 1-57.7.
- Patanjali – Robert and Sharon Symon – Forbury Park 05/04/2018 1-58.0
- Raksbet – Brendan Fahy – Ashburton 25/02/2018 1-55.1 and Wyndham 18/01/2018 1-56.5
New Zealand Records :
- Jen Jaccka – Charlie and Alisa Smaill – 2400 metre stand (trotting mares) 28/09/2017 – Winton – 3-00.9.
- Full Noise – Baynes Racing Limited 2700 metre stand (two year old trotting colts and geldings) 07/05/2018 -Ascot Park –3-35.2.
Once again, this year’s awards information and a number of photos have been supplied courtesy of Bruce Stewart, Southland Harness Racing.
Peter Craig
13 August 2018
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
