By Tayler Strong
Tom Richardson, a standardbred breeder and owner for 41 years is being rewarded for perseverance with the filly Lady Chatto, the New Zealand-trained representative in the $A104,000 final of the Gold Tiara at Bathurst on Saturday night.
The 2-year-old pacing filly is unbeaten in two starts—the group three $24,000 Leonard Memorial Stakes at Addington and a heat of the Gold Tiara at Bathurst on March 15.
‘’Potentially she is the best I have bred,’’ said Richardson (74), a semi-retired property developer.
The Tim Butt-trained Lady Chatto is in the Final with the barrier draw (six) in her favour to down My Sweetchilliphilly. Lady Chatto won the fifth of six heats by 21.6m in a 1.57.5 mile rate for the 1730m (mobile) which was overshadowed by My Sweetchilliphilly winning the final heat by 22.3m in a 1.55.3 rate.
The 1064m Bathurst track with a 186m straight has been in use since 2014 when it was built on a new location.
Richardson and his wife, Loretta, of Saddle Hill (near Dunedin) are in Bathurst for the series.
“We are here for the fortnight to attend the functions. It was pretty tough competition in the heats (six) and 15 horses had won races,” said Richardson.
“Tim Butt talked us into making the trip with Lady Chatto when were faced with a late entry payment of $15,000 for the Sires’ Stakes in NZ.”
Lady Chatto had been staked for the Bathurst Crown series as a foal and NZ Sires’ Stakes when consideration was given to entering her for the premier yearling sale.
“We were up for $15,000 to start in the Sires’ Stakes when we missed a payment and I think it is a better system in Australia where they assume you are remaining in a series unless you withdraw,’’ he said.
The NZ Sires’ Stakes Board took legal advice to set up their system as they are not a governing body able to enforce payments.
The Pink Bonnet at Menangle and Breeders Crown are other opportunities for Lady Chatto in Australia.
Richardson bred Lady Chatto from a mating of American Ideal and Lady Lozza (Mach Three – Be Reasonable) who won him races at Invercargill and Omakau when trained at Ocean View by Stu Campbell.
Lady Chatto was foaled when the Richardsons lived in Central Otago for two years after buying the former Chatto Creek golf course.
Lady Lozza died after foaling Lady Chatto, her third foal. Kim Taylor, of Mosgiel, bred the first two, both fillies by Big Jim who are yet to be registered.
“Lady Lozza died in a freak accident last year with a broken leg. She was nine months in foal to American Ideal,’’ said Richardson.
Richardson began breeding from the family in 1976 with Cheer Leader (Smooth Hanover – Granny).
“Lady Chatto is the fifth generation from her branch of the Regina family,’’ he said.
Cheer Leader left Cruising, who won him two races raced in partnership with Invercargill trainer Roy Henley before being sold to North America.
“Cruising ran fifth in a NZ Derby (1983, won by Mighty Me) after locking wheels. He should have run third. We sold him later that year for $50,000 which was big money.”
Richardson, as a member of the Fleetfoot syndicate, had his first win with the pacer Bonny Saga at Gore in 1976. The Tempest Hanover – Raven’s Whisper mare won three races when trained by Clarrie Woodward at Edendale.
Bonny Saga left the minor winners Pilgrim and Meteorite.
Richardson paid $90,000 for the American – bred filly by No Nukes – Emerald Breeze at the National Bloodstock International yearling sale in Auckland in 1987. He was then living in Invercargill and raced the filly, Nukes Emerald as a member of the Neither Confirm Nor Deny syndicate. Trained by Jack Smolenski, the filly foaled in March, 1986, won first up at Invercargill when a mere 23 months old, She then finished second to Diplomacy (trained by Roy and Barry Purdon and driven by Mark Purdon) in the $120,000 International Classic, a sale race for her age group in Auckland.
The syndicate returned Nukes Emerald to North America and she won 17 races and $139,000 there, taking a record of 1.56.8. She perished in a stable fire in Ontario in 1992.
My Sweetchilliphilly, trained by Shane and Lauren Tritton and driven by Chris Geary, is also unbeaten in two starts. The daughter of Betterthancheddar – Tact Philly was bred at Ashburton by Melissa Tapp and exported unraced to Australia in January.
The Bathurst Gold Crown series has been staged by the Bathurst Harness Racing Club since 1987. New Zealand trainers have won the Final for colts and geldings with Master Musician (1990, Robert Dunn and driven by Robert Mitchell) and Another Party (Mark Purdon and Tony Herlihy). Lady Chatto will be driven by Butt’s brother, Anthony. The filly was taken to Australia by Anthony’s daughter, Kimberly and she returned to NZ on Tuesday when Tim was back to oversee Lady Chatto.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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