Tickled pink

Southland trained harness racing filly Always Ticking (Always B Miki) will get a well earned break  after winning today’s Cheviot Licensing Trust Leonard Memorial at Addington.

She sat parked for most of the 2000 metres but was still too good for her seven rivals, beating Sporty Miss (Sportswriter) by three quarters of a length and running the trip in 2-28.3.

“She concentrated a lot better parked. She’s still a bit green and wants to shut off when she gets to the front,” trainer Brett Gray said.

Always Ticking in her distinct pink colours, is owned by Robert and Sharyn Symon (who often wear pink as well). They bought the filly from Kaiapoi trainer David Thompson on the recommendation of bloodstock agent Justin Le Lievre. Today’s driver Tim Williams also had a part to play in the purchase.

“Tim can take the credit. He trialled her and recommended we buy her. He got the drive and won the race so it was a good reward.”

ALWAYS TICKING REPLAY

It was Gray’s second group win as a trainer. He won the Group Two Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic with You’re So Fine also by the sire Always B Miki.

Gray as a junior driver drove Cairn Legacy (Silk Legacy) trained by his late father to win this race twenty eight years ago. 

Today was the fourth group success for the Symons. Nek Time (Gotta Go Cullect) won the 2016 Group Two Nevele R/Macca Lodge Southland Oaks and Group Two Queensland Oaks while Memphis Tennessee (Bettor’s Delight) won the 2019 Group Two Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes.

The filly now heads out to the Symons Waianiwa property. 

“If we give her a good break now she’ll reward us later. She’s not paid up for the bigger stakes races and we’ll just have to pick a path for her.”

The couple also raced the filly’s half-sister American Eyretime (Tintin In America) which won five races. After being retired because of a knee problem she was recently bought by Michelle Horton and has been served by Art Major. 

This was the fifty fifth running of the Leonard Memorial and the result extends the marvellous record Southland owned fillies have in this race with previous winners being Yankee Score (1973), Golden Nurse (1974), Tact Del (1976), Dreamy Atom (1994), Cairn Legacy (1995), Windermere Girl (1998), Happy Go Lucky (1999), Western Dream (20050, (Natal Franco (2007), Hemisphere (2008) and Just Gorgeous (2012). 

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink