Scuse Me record unmatched

Charlie Robert’s decision twenty seven years ago to buy Scuse Me on the advice of legendary American horseman Stanley Dancer, has been a game changer for the New Zealand Harness Racing industry.

Scuse Me left New Zealand in 1998 after winning eight of her twenty five starts. She was taken to the States by two young Southland grooms Peter Hunter and Gareth Dixon who were in charge of delivering her to Kelvin Harrison’s barn.

Once at her new home she was put into training, but she bled. She never raced and was put back on the market.

Roberts was friends with Stanley Dancer who told him that BG’s Bunny blood was the best going around. So in an inspired move, Robert’s decided to buy Scuse Me as a broodmare and to return her to New Zealand.

It’s understood that nobody lost on the deal and the move proved to be one of the smartest purchases in New Zealand harness racing history.

The story of Scuse Me goes back to the Smooth Fella mare Super Smooth which was bred by Mark Purdon.

She hadn’t left anything of note at stud and was getting close to finishing her breeding career when Jim Dalgety borrowed her for two seasons and sent her to BG’s Bunny. Scuse Me was the resulting foal.

Scuse Me was sold through the yearling sales and purchased by Dalgety and Vicki Purdon who raced her with Mark doing the training.

She fashioned a good racetrack record, winning the Group Three Great Northern Oaks at three and as a four year old, took out the Noel Taylor Mile in 1998, running the 1609 metres in 1-53.5.

The time smashed Blossom Lady’s 1991 record of 1-56.0 and Scuse Me’s time stood for a staggering eleven years before Kiwi Ingenuity broke it by running 1-52.1 at Ashburton in 2009.

After the Taylor Mile she was purchased by Auckland Bloodstock Agent John Curtin for American buyer Joe Alflen and her last race in New Zealand was in the New Zealand Messenger.

Although she wasn’t able to show her true worth in America, she certainly became a game changer in this country and her record as a foundation mare is probably unmatched anywhere in the world.

At stud Scuse Me left fifteen foals, seven of which were fillies. Thirteen of her foals raced, winning 88 races across Australasia.

Her first foal Megabucks won five races before heading to the States and her first group winner was Imagine Me in the 2010 Group Three North Island Breeders Stakes at Alexandra Park.

As of last week, HRNZ records show that descendants from Scuse Me have won a staggering 314 races and $9,507,665.92.

Her pedigree line has left the winners of 84 Group or Listed races in New Zealand of which 31 have been Group Ones.

Based on New Zealand stakes only, Adore Me is Scuse Me’s biggest winning descendant, banking $1,446,766, followed by Merlin with $1,358,888.

Of note, Have Faith In Me and Christian Me carved out excellent careers across New Zealand, Australia and America, with Have Faith In Me winning 49 races and just over $2 million. Christian Me also won over $2 million.

Other top earning descendants include Dream About Me, Bettor Knuckle Up, Hands Christian, Sweet On Me, Darling Me, Imagine Me, Captains Mistress and All You Need Is Me.

On the sales front, yearlings from the Scuse Me line have proved to be good earners for their breeders.

This year a Captaintreacherous – Adore Me colt was bought by Stonewall Stud for $360,000. A Bettor’s Delight – Imagine Me colt fetched $270,000 and the Captaintreacherous colt out of Imaginary Bet sold for $160,000.

Hartofdixie, a great granddaughter of Scuse Me, has produced two sales toppers. In 2021 her Bettor’s Delight colt sold for $320,000 and two years later a full brother was knocked down for $210,000. There are numerous other examples of her progeny selling well at the sales over the last decade.

Scuse Me was reflected well when her descendants Merlin and Captains Mistress each won Group One races on Show Day last year.

The feat has only ever been achieved once before, when Have Faith In Me and Adore Me, both out of Scuse Me, won on Cup Day in 2014.

On the awards front Scuse Me was named NZ Broodmare of the Year twice, whilst two mares from her bloodline – Splendid Dream and Imaginary Bet have also won the title.

Merlin, Have Faith In Me and Christian Me have all won NZ Pacer of the Year awards.

Scuse Me’s bloodline has provided harness racing in his country with a real lift and her progeny are sought after by breeders, buyers and trainers.

Scuse Me’s family line continues to excel and is proof that Charlie Roberts’ decision to bring her home was an inspired one.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink