NZ HARNESS NEWS
Just when it seemed like all hope of a maiden win was lost for the connections of Trendy’s Bad Girl, she put one on the board at Rangiora’s grass track meeting on Sunday.
And according to part-owner and temporary trainer Andrew Stuart, it’s because she is an expectant mother.
The daughter of Badlands Hanover had 39 starts without a win for Gore trainer Syd Breen and was virtually retired when sent north to Stuart.
But at her third run for the Rangiora-based Stuart she got the chocolates on her temporary home track at career start 42.
Stuart’s partner, Becky Sutorius, is an equine veterinarian in North Canterbury and she was the reason the mare came north.
“She really only came up here for Becky to put her in foal,” said Stuart.
“But we thought we might as well give her a couple of starts while she was up here.”
The theory was that she might race a bit better when in foal, which is quite often the case with mares.
And, so it’s proved.
“I haven’t done anything differently with her; it’s more the fact that she’s a bit more hormonal thanks to being in foal,” said Stuart.
“That and I think she likes racing on the grass.”
She’s in foal to A Rocknroll Dance after earlier missing to the same stallion.
Stuart says he has known his co-owners in the mare – Paul Matheson (Mataura), Ross Cleland (Gore), Ricky Foote and Barry Harvey (Darfield) – for many years and has a close association with the breed.
Not only did he train her mother, but he also had a lot to do with her grandmother, Trendy’s Cracker, who won three races in the 90s for Brendon McLellan.
“You could probably say I trained her to win those races,” said Stuart.
“I’ve know them for years and actually bred this mare with them.
“I’ve been in her all the way through.”
Trendy’s Bad Girl will probably have another race or two before returning to Southland for the next stage of her career.
“We’ll give her a run in the boys’ race at Timaru (January 17) and just see how she goes there.
“The main goal was getting her in foal, not racing her, so the win was a nice bonus.”
Stuart, who also trained Pay Me Visa and Martin John for wins since Christmas Day, says he is pretty happy with proceedings at present.
“Things are going pretty good at the moment; I can’t complain.
“Jay FM has probably been the only one that has let us down, but he went a bit better today.
NZ Harness News
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