Winton highlights

By Mac Henry

A 1:51.9 mobile mile from a three year old filly provided the highlight of Wairio Mile Day at Winton on Saturday while other pinnacle points included:

* a two year old track record;

* 62 horses going faster than 1:58.0;

* only one trainer, one driver and one sire achieving dual success;

* amazing co-incidence revealed after win of Celebrity Easton.

Summary of results:

Race One – Jaccka Josh – 2:02.3

Jaccka Josh is the sixth foal of broodmare gem Janine Jaccka and became her sixth winner on Saturday. The six have won 40 races including the 2014 Dominion Handicap taken out by the ill-fated Jaccka Justy. Co-owner and co-breeder Charlie Smaill said Janine Jaccka’s only other progeny is Jaccka Jeorge and the yearling gelding is ready to go to trainer Alex Milne in the next couple of weeks for his early education.

“He is by Andover Hall and she is in foal to him again,” said Smaill.

The Smaills also have a two year old by Majestic Son, the sire of Jaccka Josh, from his half-sister Jess Jaccka.

“I’m looking forward to see how the next generation breed on.”

Race two – Celebrity Easton – 1:58.5

Trainers Brian Norman and Earl Swain were talking at Wyndham a few weeks back when Norman said to Swain he had a horse he’d give him for a month. Swain’s response was to make a counter offer, he’d take Celebrity Easton and give Change It to Norman. The transaction was agreed and they met at Brydone on 14 March to do the paperwork and make the swap.

“He said ‘I think I’m giving you a dud’ and I said ‘I think I’m giving you a dud’,” Swain advised.

Five days later, at Wingatui on Monday with Blair Orange in the sulky, Change It was successful for Norman. Another five days later, at Winton on Saturday, Swain had engaged Dexter Dunn to drive Celebrity Easton and told him “the pressure is on”. Pressure, what pressure? Dunn went forward from the eight draw, sat parked from the 800, applied pressure of his own before straightening, got the upper hand then had to withstand a late challenge, but prevailed by a long neck.

Orange and Dunn travelled to the meeting together.

Race three – All U Need Is Faith – 1:55.96

Better late than never for the Art Major colt on debut who earlier in the month had been scratched from the Kindergarten Stakes at Wyndham, the race won last year by his full brother Pacing Major. His time was a track record for two year olds and closing sectionals, 56.1 and 26.8, the second fastest of the day.

Trained by Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, All U Need Is Faith was reined by Canterbury junior driver Matt Anderson who was down for just two drives and won them both. Anderson said he’d only ever driven the horse in fast work and he raced up to expectations.

“He ticked all the boxes, I didn’t rush him out, he went away well and found the line nicely,” Anderson said.

Race four – My Georgie Boy – 1:57.0

A half-brother to the good trotter Mystic Sun, My Georgie Boy was bred by Mandy Davis and was qualified for her about 11 months ago as a two year old by Peter Hunter. Not too much later, Davis quit her horses and the Changeover gelding was taken over by existing clients of Hunter, Bill Moffatt, Brendon McIntyre, Paddie Cullen, Malcolm Pennack, and first time owner Dennis Mullally. His three starts, since debuting a month ago, have all resulted in top-four finishes.

Race five – Dachy – 1:55.6

Purchased for $4500 by Doug McLeish of Drummond at the 2013 Premier Sale, Dachy credited sire Changeover with wins in successive races. McLeish races the mare with Ian Goodman of Winton where she is trained by John Cox and Tracie McGrannachan. Nathan Williamson was the successful driver.

“Keeping her settled is the key, she tends to pull and hang,” McGrannachan said. “We’ve been dropping her in behind at workouts, Nathan gets on good with her, that’s his second win on her.”

Race six – Tiziano – 1:56.03

Makarewa horseman Vin Nally got special satisfaction from the win of the Hamish Hunter trained and driven Tiziano. He races the three year old filly by Big Jim with Racing Board member Graham Cooney and wife Jill, the Centaurus Syndicate set up initially by their sons Tom and Dan, and Graham’s brother Brendan Cooney. Graham is based now in Tauranga and Nally cares for his horses.

“I break them in and get them ready to go to Hamish,” Nally said, “Devil May Care and Canardly Lover were the first and they’re eight now. The first time I put Tiziano in the cart she steered and paced perfectly, I said to him to send more mares to Big Jim.”

Race seven – Zoey’s Gift – 1:58.9

The next step for Zoey’s Gift is the group two New Zealand Trotting Oaks at Addington on Friday night. The daughter of group one winning mare Jasmyn’s Gift looked a class above the opposition when keeping her winning record on the Winton track intact. From seven off the gate, she had to keep up a big run wide from the start but after finding the lead about halfway through the race, never looked in any trouble. Her time is the fastest recorded on the track by a filly over the trip, as was her time for the 2400 metre mobile a month earlier.

Race eight – Roxy Dale – 1:55.6

The Murray Brown-trained Roxy Dale was wiped out of contention at the Northern Southland meeting when Envious and The Honey Badger locked wheels in front of her.

“Envious won her next start, now we have,” Brown said of the victory in the final heat of the Southern Belle Speed Series. “We’re in the final now.”

The $20,000 final will be staged on 9 April, over the same distance on the same course.

Race nine – Delightful Memphis – 1:51.9

Delightful Memphis set a Southland mobile mile all-comers record which was just eight-10ths of a second outside the national best for a three year old filly. The all-comers record was previously held by her stablemate Rocker Band. Raced by a large group of owners including former cricket international and now commentator Simon Doull, Delightful Memphis was visiting the south for just the second time, having won the group three Caduceus Club Of Southland Fillies Classic about a year ago on her first visit.

The daughter of Bettor’s Delight has been driven throughout her three year old career by Blair Orange.

“She got the run she needed and the tempo suited, she’s always had speed,” Orange said.

Gordon Lee is the trainer-driver of runner-up Seaswift Joy who helped set up the fast pace and stopped the clock at 1:52.0.

“A really top run, she did a bit early,” Lee said.

Dexter Dunn was aboard the third-placed favourite Eamon Maguire who went 1:52.2 and ran out of room late.

“He went great, really happy,” said Dunn.

Race 10 – The High Roller – 1:55.5

Trainer Brent Gray and driver Matt Anderson got their second winner of the day when The High Roller prevailed over stablemate El Capitan. A son of Christian Cullen, The High Roller was bred by Tapanui farmers Ross and Bev Ludemann and raced by them in partnership with sons Simon and Geoff. The High Roller, who was pre-trained on the Ludemann farm, is out of The High Life, winner of two from five for them. Her first foal was Lively Hero, the winner of four in New Zealand who scored his 16th Australian win at Menangle last week.

Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com

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