By Mac Henry
The win of Jonny Cox in the sulky of Geordie Sivad at Wyndham on Sunday was particularly popular on a 10-race card which saw both he and Nathan Williamson drive three winners.
Geordie Sivad was bred by Ian Davis of Roxburgh who is also a co-owner. He is also the member of a club open to patrons of the Grand Tavern in Roxburgh.
“There are a hundred of us, we pay two dollars a week each and this is our once a year outing,” Davis explained, “we brought two buses.”
Whether coincidental or not, the sheets providing turnover totals for the meeting showed the combined totalisator pools for Geordie Sivad’s race were the highest of the day.
Although the previously unbeaten Rakarolla attracted the biggest share, the Ray Faithful-trained Geordie Sivad was a clear second favourite.
The Grand Tavern, owned by Garry Moore, sponsored a race on the programme and Cox won it as well. His drive was Jessica Sanchez, trained for Art Shirley of Invercargill by Matt Saunders.
For his third win, Cox combined with Takitimu Express, bred owned and trained by Woodlands dairy farmer Steve Baucke. The son of Mach Three is a full brother to Belkmyster and half brother to Citylight.
Takitimu Express was one of a quartet of three year olds to win on Sunday with Williamson successful on two of them. First up was the filly I’ldoitmyway by Sundon, raced by Peter and Jan Williams of Invercargill.
She is out of Whizz Way, a half sister to champion trotter Sundon’s Way and grand-dam of Alley Way, second in the Dominion Handicap on Friday.
One of I’ldoitmyway’s full brothers was Appian Way, successful in both New Zealand and the United States. Another was Idid It Myway, second in two New Zealand Free For Alls and third in a Dominion.
Idid It Myway ended his career in Australia and on his retirement joined a riding school near Menangle.
Do It Your Way is an unraced full sister and the Williams have her three year old son in work with Brett Gray and her colt foal by Angus Hall at home.
“We loaned her to Frank Marion for a couple of years in between and he got two foals,” Williams said.
Any Old Way, another full brother to I’ldoitmyway, is part-owned by the Williams and is the winner of six of his 13 starts, four at Alexandra Park. After racing there on 1 October, Any Old Way was stood down for 30 days after bleeding from both nostrils.
Williams reports he is back in work now with trainer Paul Nairn. Since I’ldoitmyway, Whizz Way has left a filly and colt by Pegasus Spur.
A week before her win, I’ldoitmyway debuted at Wyndham. She broke early before finishing on for second. Williamson said her inexperience caused her to panic. No such problems on Sunday
“The bigger track suits her,” he said, “she’ll have a wee break now.”
Williamson’s second win as the trainer-driver of a three year old came when Bernie Winkle gained his maiden victory in a stand-start 2400.
As with last week when he found the line line well for second, a patient drive showed the son of Rock N Roll Heaven in a new light and his win was dominant.
Machrie made it two in a row when winning the time-honoured Hunter Family Pace and Williamson made it three in a day as a driver.
The fourth three-year-old winner was Bettor Enforce who clocked 1:57.0 on debut. Bred by Ben and Karen Calder, the filly is the first foal of Their Excuse, the grand-daughter of My Excuse.
Their Excuse was a winner on debut for the Calders when trained and driven by Allan Beck who also filled those roles with Bettor Enforce.
She was broken in by Beck as a yearling who said he gave her a couple of workouts at two and then put her aside to fill out. He said he’ll probably wait for Christmas racing before starting Bettor Enforce again and will race her through the grades before committing to races like the Southland Oaks.
Bettor Enforce is raced on lease by the This Time Syndicate made up mostly by members of the McNaught family.
Some of them, Beck said, were in Tact Halsey who had eight of his 13 wins from Beck’s stable.
Shane Walkinshaw trained and drove Double Rainbow to win one of the C1 mobiles and was the winning driver of Bettor Pay Me in another.
Brett Gray said Bettor Pay Me came to him from Paul and Mitchell Kerr and would be staying for a while.
“He was working well, suited by the big track and the race went to plan,” Gray said.
Gee Up Neddy held out Vulcan and Poppymalda to post back to back wins at Wyndham a week apart. He is trained at Winton by Lauren Pearson for Canterbury licence-holder Leonne Jones.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
