By Duane Ranger
Ross Johnson isn’t getting too carried away with the imminent career of Cowboys N Aliens but knows the well-bred 3-year-old is the first foal out of the best horse he and his wife Janine Cole, have bred and raced.
Johnson, who is the managing director of the international race-horse transport company – IRT, and is also an Auckland Trotting Club director, has been involved in harness racing since the early 1980s.
It all started from the late 1979 with Boyden Hanover – Librette 21-win mare Indette, who was bred by Johnson’s parents, Colin and Margaret.
“Cowgirls N Indians is the best Janene (Cole) and I have bred and owned. She won two Group 1 races. We bred this fella with Bruce Carter and his wife Mary.
“He (Cowboys N Aliens) has a hard act to follow but we will know more about him after a couple more races. Geoff (Small) has taken his time with him and we are quite excited,” Johnson said.
Cowboys N Aliens will start from the ace draw in Friday’s third event at Alexandra Park. It will be his second race after finishing a satisfactory seventh on debut on the same track on September 16.
“We aren’t even sure if he has gate speed and will hold up from one. He’s certainly got the potential, but he’s a work in progress. Friday’s race will help but we will know a whole lot more in a month or two,” 53-year-old Johnson said.
A week before his race-night debut, Cowboys N Aliens won a seven-horse workout by one-and-a-quarter lengths. The Somebeachsomewhere gelding’s winning mile rate was 2:01 even, with final sectionals of 60.1 and 29.2.
The last four dams in Cowboys N Aliens family have won 22 races ($644,215) and four Group 1s between them.
His dam Cowgirls N Indians (Real Desire – Barn Dance Betty) won seven of her 12 starts and placed three times for $375,723 including a victory in the Group 1 $150,000 Harness Jewels 2YO Ruby Diamond in 2011 recording a 1:56 mile.
The Ian Small trained brown mare also won the Group 1 $312,000 Australasian Breeders Crown 2YO Fillies Series in Victoria – also in August 2011.
In May of that year Cowgirls N Indians also ran second behind O Baby in the Group 1 $160,000 New Zealand Sires Stakes Fillies Championship.
Grand-dam, that late Barn Dance Betty (In The Pocket – Party Party, 1:59.1) won four races for Waiuku trainer Michelle Wallis; great-grand-dam – Party Party 1:53.2 (Mister Hanover II – Bee Gee’s Dream) won nine races and $199,786 for the Roy and Barry Purdon, Mark Purdon and then Wallis.
Party Party won two Group 1 races including the $60,000 Caduceus Club 2YO Fillies Classic in 1995 and then in 1996 the $100,000 Nevele R Fillies 3YO Final.
Great-great-grand dam Bee Gee’s Dream won two races for Roy and Barry Purdon (Butler B G – Parisian Dream) and her mother 1973 Sly Yankee – Nurse Brigade mare, Parisian Dream, who won two races.
Her dam, Nurse Brigade (Light Brigade – Super Nurse) was born in 1959 but no racing stats are shown.
Meanwhile the Johnson and Cole bred Cowgirls N Indians has so far left three foals – Cowboys N Aliens (2.01.3); a 2-year-old brown Somebeachsomewhere colt named Cowboys N Indians; and a brown American Ideal filly called Cowgirls N Angels.
Cowgirls N Indians is expected to leave a Bettor’s Delight foal next week.
David Butcher will again drive Cowboys N Aliens on Friday. Last start they drew five and finished seventh over the same 2200m mobile journey – some 10.5 lengths behind the winner, Jack’s Legend.
“I’m sure he will be improved by the run. It’s just good to have the mare’s first foal at the races,” Johnson said.
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