Clearing Maidens – Champion mare leaves an exciting Art Major filly

In our weekly Clearing Maidens article we look through those breaking through for their first victories.

It could be a long-time maiden who has finally mastered race rivals or a progressive star of the track in the future – they all got one thing in common now – they’re race winners!

Cambridge 29^th January

Seaside Rose (Downbytheseaside – Rhythmic Rose) Driven by Joshua Dickie, Seaside Rose scored an impressive maiden victory in the first of the day at Cambridge. The win capping off what had been a consistent formline. Three consecutive placings in August of last year led into a meritorious 6^th in the Caduceus Club 2YO Fillies Classic behind Coastal Babe – race experience that obviously hinted at things to come. After working forward to lead on Monday the daughter of Downbytheseaside proved a little too talented for race rivals, seeing off the challenges to score in 2.45.8 for the 2200m mobile trip. The Telfer runner has plenty of breeding – she’s a sibling to Secret Desire (8 wins) Mach Time (1.52.4 USA) Tempo Rose (3 wins) Rhythm N Blues (1.51 USA) and the competitive Sweet Diamond, a Gr2 placed runner and 5-time winner.

Invercargill 1^st February

First Light (Sportswriter – Twilight Franco) First light and first home. Scoring in the 5^th on the Invercargill card on Thursday, First Light made the required improvement on some genuine efforts from 4 previous starts to score nicely in 2.05.9 over the 1700m mobile trip. Operating from the #3 draw, Craig Ferguson wasn’t satisfied with taking an early trail, working around the race leader to obtain the lead proper with some 1200m to go, from there it was all a pace in the park with the smart filly pulling away to win by 4 lengths at the winning post. First Light is a 1/2 sister to the useful Fireball (Mach Three) a current winner of 5 on Australian soil. The wider family includes performers like the 1.48.2 American domiciled Franco Totem (Changeover) and Franco Tariq (McArdle) who has fashioned 15 wins from some 120+ starts, the majority of which have been on Australian soil.

First Light win 

Duke Of Scotland (Sweet Lou – Galleons Honour) Capitalising on an early trail through from the second row, Duke Of Scotland found plenty when switching to a wider position turning for home before powering past leader Montage to score in the last of the day in 2.44.3 over the 2200m mobile. The Lauren Pearson trained son of Sweet Lou continues a great run for dam Galleons Honour – a mare that’s been able to leave Laszlo (9 wins) Venice Beach (11 wins) the Gr2 winning Duke Of Wellington (American Ideal) and the impressive Duke Of Cornwall, which was sold for big money and raced with success in Australia before heading to the bright lights of North America.

Hawera 2^nd February

Lightning McQueen (What The Hill-Jinxed Belle) Making the most of some great early manners Lightning McQueen proved too strong from the front of the field in the first on the card on the grass at Hawera. Driven by Jay Abernethy, the daughter of What The Hill played a game of catch me if you can – none could! The win caps some good form for the 4yr-old with 4 minor placings coming in her last 7 starts.

Lord Delmar (Downbytheseaside – Two And Sixpence) Clearing maidens well in the 3^rd of the day, Lord Delmar proved too strong for race rivals. Given a great run in transit by Wilson House, the son of Downbytheseaside pounced on the leading duo at the top of the straight from a 1/1 sit, winning well by 1 1/2 lengths for trainer John Gommans. Lord Delmar is a close relation to the 3-win daughter of Mach Three in We Have A Mach Two (3 wins) . Gommans has had a training license for some 35 years with J C Superstar (7 wins) and Youndblood (4 wins) among those to bolster his winning percentages over the years.

Lamarli  (A Rocknroll Dance – Pure Opulence) Threatening to win a race for some time. Lamarli made good on her potential to score in 2.38.4 over the 2000m mobile trip. Bringing up another win for Wilson House, Lamarli proved far too good for her maiden rivals, winning by 4 lengths after sitting in the trail throughout the run. Despite having to wait some 17 races to score a victory Lamarli had been placed on 4 occasions prior. Dam Pure Opulence traces back to the celebrated Black Watch while Granddam Tarena Jay, herself a 5-time winner, left the likes of J Walker (17 wins) Holly Madison (5 wins) and the classy Jays Debut, a 1.53.2 miler in North America and winner of the NZ Yearling Sales Open Final of 2005 when beating The Reckoning and Christian Spirit.

Lamarli win

Onetangi Girl (Downbytheseaside – Elite Belle) Making it a successful day for Jay Abernethy, Onehangi Girl capitalized on a sweet and soft trip on the markers to score at big odds of 40/1 in the 5^th of the day. Having had 5 race day starts for no placings punters let the daughter of Downbytheseadside go on the tote but the sharp inside run and late burst of speed showed that there’s enough ability to go on with things. Out of Elite Belle, an 11-time race winning daughter of Presidential Ball, Onehangi Girl is a 1/2 sister to Charleston Belle (5 wins) while the dam has also left the slick Bill Haley (1.49.1 USA) and the consistent war horse by Well Said in Peter Forsberg (9 wins)

Addington 2^nd February 

Kink (Love You-Rondo) The trotter gets a maiden pacing win. While being a son of Love You, Kink showed plenty of pacing power to get home in the 3^rd on the card at Addington on Friday night. The Nyhan trained runner outclassed race rivals from parked to claim the win in 2.27.5 over the 1980m mobile distance. Dam Rondo won 9 herself and has a 100% winning strike-rate from her first 4 foals.

Donttelltheboys (Downbytheseaside-In Hollywood) He needed all of the straight to wind up from an inside run but when he found clear air Donttelltheboys was most impressive in clearing maidens. The son of Downbytheseaside had caught the eye at recent trials and made his present felt to score impressively late, denying Arminius at the post. Dam Hollywood has been a sound producer as a broodmare, leaving Walk Of Fame, a 4-time winner by Bettor’s Delight, and Ideal Act (13 wins) .The wider family includes stars like Tupelo Rose, a racing millionaire, and Hollywood Sue, the mother to the evergreen La Bella Vita, a horse that’s gone to new levels in North America.

Dontelltheboys win

Waikouaiti 4^th February 

Kowhai Summit (Peak – Kowhai Sunrise) Passing maidens at start #4, Kowhai Summit held off late challenges to capture the first on the card. The win coming off the back of a 2^nd at Methven on the 28^th of January and a consistent Marlborough circuit prior. Dam Kowhai Sunrise (Sundon) won 3 herself, leaving the nice performer in Kowhai Sundown (6 wins) as her first foal.

Bono Brown (Bettor’s Delight – Kacie’s A Flyin) Bono Brown, having his 50^th start, wasn’t taking no for an answer on Sunday with a strong maiden win. Having to suffer pressure from Rural Cash mid-race, Sheree Tomlinson got the most out of the son of Bettor’s Delight to win by a small margin over Samvasa and race favourite Hughes To Me. There’s plenty of form in the family with Granddam Kacie Marie leaving the bustling Buster Brady (Real Desire) a winner of some $350’000, and the consistent Carlos Santana, who achieved 3 wins and 10 minor placings from 30 starts.

Addison Marie (Art Major – Kayla Marie) After finding the line well behind Bryson Dechambeau last start, Addison Marie was driven forward from the mobile arm on the grass of Oamaru and prospered from the leading position, prevailing over the Barron trained Unico Tessa and Cheer Me On. Addison Marie is out of the Gr1 winning mare in Kayla Marie, a winner of the Sires Stakes 2YO Fillies Champs of 2018 – she’d also finish second in another two feature events to the brilliant Princess Tiffany.

Addison Marie win

Hawera 4^th February 

Tomalou  (Sweet Lou – Christie Tomado) The Nicky Chilcott runner proved the best late in what become something of a two-horse war late in the 3^rd on the card at Hawera on Sunday. With early pressure those at the back of the field swept into things at the top of the straight with Tomalou being able to hold out race favourite Dom Toretto to capture his maiden at start #3. The win proved a nice training effort from the stable with Tomalou having its first start since August of last year.

Perun (Betting Line – Bianca) A consistent performer throughout its 10-start career, Perun mastered the front-running Morere after making a mid-race move to parked halfway through the 2000m mobile event, a quick breather on the back of the leader was enough for the Mangos trained 4YO to come again late, snaring the victory by just under a length. Perun is the first winner to come out of the Dream Away mare in Bianca while Granddam For The Girls left the 18-time winner in Everything (Sands A Flyin)

By Harnesslink Media