NZ HARNESS NEWS
New French sire headed Down Under
En Solitaire, a son of French siring phenomenon Ready Cash, will be available fresh to breeders in both Australia and New Zealand next season.
Haras des Trotteurs and Yabby Dam Farms will stand him at their Ballarat Stud after Principal Pat Driscoll purchased a 50 percent stake in the horse with Jean Pierre Dubois, who also stands Love You.
In a twist, the previously injured four-year-old will return to training, this time with Anton Golino, with a view to tackling feature racing in Australasia.
He will serve mares regardless of whether he stands up to a racing preparation, according to Has des Trotteurs officials.
Ready Cash is the sire of all-conquering European superstar Bold Eagle, as well as a bevvy of other top talents.
Butt swoops on unraced Kiwis
Now Sydney-based New Zealand trainer Tim Butt has flexed his muscles, buying a couple of unraced prospects from his homeland.
Canterbury three-year-old trotter Majestic Courtney left Christchurch on Wednesday after being purchased by clients of Butt last week.
He had impressed in trials and workouts for trainer Robert Anderson, who prepared the son of Majestic Son for his North Canterbury breeder, Mike Stevens.
Butt has already taken possession of a promising two-year-old colt out of Steve Telfer’s Ardmore stable in Auckland.
Superbass, a son of Mach Three, had just the one workout, running a hard-held third, but had a significant private reputation and was snapped up by Butt for a tidy sum.
Kiwi trainer to tackle world’s biggest trot
Melbourne-based New Zealand trainer Brent Lilley is in Sweden, about to tackle Sunday’s NZ$950,000 (approx.) Elitloppet in Stockholm, Sweden.
Lilley, who left Christchurch in 2010 and now ranks amongst Victoria’s leading trainers, has travelled to Scandinavia with Maori Time, an Australian-bred trotting mare.
The heats and final series, on which Victoria’s Great Southern Star was originally modelled, will feature some of world trotting’s biggest names.
These include Bold Eagle, the first French Triple Crown winner in 41 years when he won it last year, and Maori Time has drawn his heat on Sunday.
Previous New Zealand-trained Elitloppet contestants have included Pride Of Petite (1996), Special Force (1999) and Lyell Creek (2001).
- NZ Harness News
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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