Clearing maidens – Wish Me Luck wins by 10 lengths

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!

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!

Manuwatu 13^th February

Mr Monty (Majestic Son – Special Amore) A special win. Breaking through to win his maiden at start 14, Mr Monty mastered maiden rivals to score in 3.22.1 over the 2500m distance. The win meaning dam Special Amore has her second winner from her two live foals, the first being Xtra Time, a winner of 1 from 20 starts. Granddam Something Special left the very good horse in Braig, the winner of the Gr3 City Of Sails FFA Trot of 2007 when beating out Pompallier at big odds.

Blue Chip Lou (Sweet Lou – Kamwood Blue Chip) Another winner on the card that was trained by Stephen Doody. Blue Chip Lou made the best of things to triumph in just her second race day start after a debut 7^th in January. Driver Blair Orange getting the best out of the daughter of Sweet Lou to score by 1/2 a length over the Telfer trained Semba. Blue Chip Lou is a full sister to the impressive Mantra Blue, a filly who has two Gr1 placings to her name having finished second in the Nevele R Final and New Zealand Pacing Oaks features.

BLUE CHIP LOU REPLAY

Rakero Scotty (Rock N Roll Heaven – Citylight) Having had 4 previous race day appearances without troubling the scorers, Rakero Scotty immediately found form out of the Michael House barn to score at Manuwatu, Wilson House making a sweeping move on the son of Rock N Roll Heaven 400m to score after a late break from the race-leading Secrets Abound. Rakero Scotty, with a winning confidence now found, could well go on with things given his breeding – his dam is the 5-time winning mare in Citylight, while both Lil Ripper (Bettor’s Delight) and Swell Time (A Rocknroll Dance) both close relations, have found good form and success on Australian soil.

Manuawatu 15th February

Semba (Captaintreacherous – Sem’s Delight) Breaking through at start #3 on Thursday was the well-bred Semba. Having been bested by a race rival on Tuesday Semba proved too hard hold out two days later, securing a strong 1 1/2 length victory over Million Dollar Chic. Semba is out of the Bettor’s Delight mare in Sem’s Delight, mother to the recent winner Judine (3 wins) and the nice mare in Passion And Power, a winner of 7 starts. Granddam Hot Shoe Shuffle amassed just under $300’000 in career earnings and left the quality pacer in Jivin Cullen (14 wins)

SEMBA REPLAY

Alexandra Park 16^th February

Tenacious D (Raging Bull – Dana Delany) Winning on a premier night at Alexandra Park, Tenacious D proved too slick for race rivals on the 2^nd on the card, scoring at big odds of 22/1.  Producing a consistent formline of placings over his 4 previous starts, Tenacious D hung tough to win, mounting a 4 wide bid with some 500m to go, a fighting last furlong saw the son of Raging Bull win from Shake A Leg.   Tenacious D is the first foal out of unraced mare Dana Delany.

Addington 16^th February 

Spirited Lou (Sweet Lou – Spirit And Desire) A well-deserved win at Addington. The 5yr-old swept into things with a little over 300m to go and had too much speed for race rivals to bring up his maiden victory at start number 20.  It capped an improving formline for the son of Sweet Lou, with a sound Marlborough circuit and a good Banks Peninsula 2^nd in his last handful of starts. The well-bred type is out of Spirit And Desire (14 wins) mother to Spirited Belle (American Ideal) a winner of 7, mostly in Australia.

Edward Hill (What The Hill – Edesia) It didn’t take long for Edward Hill to get off the mark. The son of What The Hil took his first race day appearance in his rather rangy stride, bringing about a smart victory over Father Time and Wudabubbit. The 2000m stand completed in a time of 2.36.2. Edward Hill is from the same family as Invictus (Peak) a 14-time winner, and the Gr1 placed Sugarinspice (17 wins)

Wish Me Luck (Vincent(AUS) – I’m So Lucky) No luck needed apparently. This smart son of Vincent put together one of the more impressive maiden wins we’ve seen for some time, making a shift out from the trail with 300m to go and gliding by the leading Major Hipster to score by some 10 lengths. The win comes some 21 months after finishing second in the NZ Sapling Stakes of 2022, a race won by Vinke B.  Dam I’m So Lucky was unraced but further back in the bloodlines you find Folklore (13 wins) a daughter of Turkana, and Christian Seel (Falcon Seelster) mother to the capable Bettor Believe It (6 wins)

WISH ME LUCK REPLAY

Rangiora 17^th February

Moondance (Father Patrick – Olesya) What a wonderful day for a Moondance. The Purvis runner made a mid-race move to the sharp end of the maiden trot affair and saw off a late bid from Signal Hill to salute for the first time at her 10^th race day start. The first-up effort came after some sound placings in the July and August of 2023. Moondance could well improve into things this time given the blood behind her – Granddam Galleons Dream left both the impressive Galleons Sunset, a runner-up in the Greenland Cup at Gr2 level, and the six-time winner in The Ultimate Galleon.

Victor Lustig (He’s Watching – Macy Gray) After threatening to win a race for some time, Victor Lustig found enough to keep the rivals at bay to score in the 4^th of the day on the grass. The win coming after sound placings in the last couple of months, notably a 2^nd behind Mister Blue Sky at Methven. Victor Lustig is out of the famed Black Watch damline, his mother, Macy Gray, has proven herself an excellent broodmare, leaving the mother of Chris Kyle (6 wins) in Macy Delight (Bettor’s Delight) and the nice performer in Macy Belle (3 wins) the dam of both Macy Blue Chip (1.54.1m USA) and It Ain’t The Money (Lis Mara) a winner of an amazing 22 races, the majority being on Australian soil.

Gore 18^th February

Quercus Rubra (Superfast Stuart – Oak) Breaking through to secure a maiden victory at race day appearance number 9, Queruc Rubra did things right and had enough late, outlasting Dignify late in the hands of Sam Ottley. The daughter of Superfast Stuart had found some form in January, placing 3^rd at both Northern Southland and Winton in the month before some indifferent form over her last three starts. Quercus Rubra is a 1/2 sister to the impressive Albizia, a 6-time winner from just the 11 raceday starts so far.

Vanessa Marie  (Vincent(AUS) – Meglea) Another maiden winner by the sire Vincent, Vanessa Marie scored her maiden in impressive enough style in the 3^rd of the day. The #1 draw proving advantageous as Matthew Williamson was able to grab the trail throughout, a position that saw a final burst up the passing lane too much for the leading Cheer Me On. Dam Meglea, herself a 5-time winner, is a proven broodmare, with Terracotta (2 wins) Blarney Babe (2 wins) and the current performer and race winner on the same card, Bowlem Over (4 wins) all bolstering her record as a mother.

Robyns Art (Art Major – Robyn Joan) The long wait to greet the judge is now over for Robyns Art – a win at start 28 just reward for connections. With only one other prior placing you could have been forgiven for thinking a win might have been out of her capabilities but Gore, Max Hill, and a 1/1 sit throughout the running meant Robyns Art was in the perfect position to score. The 2.24.1 good enough to win by 1 1/2 lengths over the Wayne Adams trained On The Beach who had sat parked for much of the event. Robyns Art could well make a valuable broodmare in time – she’s out of Robyn Joan, a 5-time winner and mother to some impressive types in My Guy Mac (18 wins) Annie Fitz (7 wins) and Swift Robyn (4 wins)

ROBYNS ART REPLAY

by Harnesslink Media