Two bulldogs headline Crawford’s yearlings

Genevieve Crawford who works for her father Jimmy on the family farm at Lawrence, is preparing eight yearlings for the NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Christchurch. Among them are two Bulldog Hanover colts.

“They’ve been ‘interesting’ horses,” Crawford said.

Bulldog Hanover became a worldwide sensation in harness racing. He won twenty eight of his thirty seven starts and earned $2.7 million. In the $500,000 Haughton Memorial he became the first horse to win a mile in under 1-46, pacing the distance in 1-45.4.

He was named Dan Patch Horse of the Year in 2022 and inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall Of Fame in 2023.

At last years yearling sales in Lexington he had eleven yearlings sell for more than $100,000, his top lot selling for $375,000.

This year is the first time his progeny are to be offered for sale in New Zealand and both colts are entered in next month’s Christchurch Sale.

In previous years twenty nine year old Genevieve has prepped yearlings for the Christchurch Sales for Rusty Nevill and Geoff and Jude Knight.

The Crawford property is only ten minutes away from Tuapeka Lodge where many of the country’s top yearlings would be prepared by the late Father Dan Cummings.

“The last year Dan was sick and passed, I worked for him over the summer and that actually spiked my interest in preparing yearlings. Then there was Covid. The year after I ran into Rusty Nevill at the Cromwell races and he asked me if I would take his two to prep,” she said.

She says all eight yearlings have now settled into her regular daily routine.

“They all come in and get their brush – twenty minutes a horse with mane and tails. All their feet get picked out. Then they all do a lead around. At this stage I’ve been doing all eight every day. After the parade on the 14^th January it’ll be four and four on alternative days.”

Lot 182 Bay filly by Downbytheseaside out of Sweet Lizzie (Sweet Lou)

“Between her and her other ‘Seaside’ friend they’re as friendly as. They talk to you when you come out. She’s come a long way since coming from the stud. She’s a lovely natured filly, really willing and a nice athletic type. Zero issues with her and she wants to be involved.”

Lot 192 Bay colt by One Over Da Moon out of The Enforcer (Skyvalley)

“He’s a pretty easy going sort of colt. He was quiet to handle as a weanling and is quiet to handle now. He trots around the paddock so if you want a nice easy trotter to get going early, he’s it.”

Lot 200 Bay filly by Downbytheseaside out of Vera’s Fancy Pants (Bettor’s Delight)

“If you look at her you’d think she was a Bettor’s Delight filly. She’s as nuggety and as round as you can get. She’s been on a diet for the last month unsuccessfully (laughter) so she’ll be starting to jog soon. We call her ‘best mate’ because she just loves people.”

Lot 215 Bay colt by Bulldog Hanover out of Allaboutjoy (Art Major)

“He’s quite a hard case wee fella. He’d be the smaller of the two Bulldogs but he rules the roost. He’s a bossy wee colt but as soon as you catch him it’s gone. He’s been easy to do the whole way through.”

Lot 220 Bay filly by King Of The North out of Allaboutthemoment (Peak)

“She was another one I had early on. She’s been really easy, willing and you don’t often see her galloping around. She must be growing a lot because most of the time she’s lying down sleeping. I’d say she is the boss out of all the fillies.”

Lot 260 Bay Filly by Sweet Lou out of Excellent (Somebeachsomewhere)

“She’s a big girl. She’s the King Of The North’s mate and they spend most of their time sleeping. She’s been pretty laid back up until the last week and she’s starting to get a bit of spirit about her.”

Lot 276 Bay colt by Bulldog Hanover out of Havtime (Mach Three)

“He’s been the toughest yearling or young horse I’ve had to bring around and to be involved with. He’s probably got a lot of that Mach Three coming through but he has settled down. Both the Bulldogs arrived in late October so I was lucky to get them early on and get that handling in. The way both the Bulldogs get around it looks as though they’ll win races. If there was a pick of the bunch on type it would be the Havtime colt.”

Lot 300 Bay colt by Habibi Inta out of Lavra Marcia (Muscle Yankee)

“He’s a bossy big strong colt. He was a nervy wee yearling but he’s come back in bossy and confident. He’s probably more aware of the girls than the rest of them.”

Genevieve Crawford’s yearlings are part of the SBSR 2026 draft and will be paraded at 122 Matheson Road Lawrence at 2.20pm on Wednesday 14^th January.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink