The Western Australian bred 3yo Art Major gelding Innocent Artist made an impressive debut at today’s Kaikoura Cup meeting in New Zealand.
Trained by Cran Dalgety and driven by ace reinsman Dexter Dunn, Innocent Artist led for the last 1100 metres to win from Anna Ivy in a rate of 1:58.3 for the 1900 metres covering his last 800 metres in 57.8 seconds and last 400 metres in 28.1 seconds.
Bred by Debra Lewis, wife of champion Western Australian reinsman Chris Lewis, Innocent Artist was bred in Western Australia and sold for $70,000 at the 2014 Victorian Yearling Sale.
He is a full brother to another Western Australian bred in Restrepo 1:52.4 $507,018 which was bred by Neven Botica and sold at the NSW Yearling Sale for $72,000.
Another prominent Western Australian breeder in Bryan Cousins will offer two close relations to Innocent Artist at the 2016 Gloucester Standardbreds Western Australian Yearling Sale.
Both yearlings are out of half-sisters to the dam of Innocent Artist and Restrepo and one in particular is a filly by Art Major from Sienna making her a three-quarter sister to the pair.
While the winner of the $50,000 Group Two Kaikoura Cup later in the meeting was the New Zealand bred Arden Rooney the gelding does have a Westbred flavour in that he is owned by the Western Australian born Merv Butterworth and his wife Meg.
Trained and driven by Victorian reinswoman Kerryn Manning, Arden Rooney downed the Mark Purdon driven Messini and Mighty Flying Mac despite a somewhat tardy getaway from the standing start.
Arden Rooney rated 1:58.3 for the standing start 2400 metres with his final 800 metres taking just 55.1 seconds.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
