Daisy Hill delivers on breeding

by Garrick Knight   

Blueblood trotting mare Daisy Hill cracked maidens in impressive fashion at Alexandra Park on Friday night, but still has a long way to go.

That’s the belief of her driver and co-trainer, Josh Dickie, after the Muscle Hill half-sister to Stent cleared out to win by four lengths.

“I’ve always liked her and she’s got a bit about her, but has just been a bit mentally weak,” said Dickie.

“A couple of times she has galloped when she felt like she was going to win.

“Really, she’s been letting herself down.”

And while she’s finally put it all together in impressive fashion, Dickie reckons it will take plenty of racing and miles in her legs before she’s ready for the better company.

“She’s the type of mare that’s not going to come out in her next few starts and keep doing this, I don’t think.

“I really think we are a year away from seeing the best of her.

“I believe with horses like her you’ve got to keep going around, putting the miles in to them.

“She works perfectly at home, but she’s got to learn to keep her head in the game on race night.”

Daisy Hill is the sixth foal of racing age out of broodmare gem Belle Galleon, who has a 100 percent winners-to-foals record thanks to Stent, Belles Son, Arya, Izmok and Lone Star Lad.

She’s owned by Cantabrians Kevin Chapman and Trevor Casey, who have bred her about-turn for the last eight years.

Daisy Hill was bred, and is co-owned by Chapman, who has been a regular collaborator with Dickie and his father, John, for a many years.

“Kevin always has a nice horse around him and he’s been brilliant to us; we’ve had a bit of luck with the horses he’s sent north.

“He did warn us that this one wouldn’t be easy as he’d had a bit of trouble with her, and he was right.”

Tony Herlihy was the star of the show at Alexandra Park, training three of the eight winners on the night.

Classy trotting mare Kenny’s Dream got her season back on track thanks to a heady drive from stable foreman, Tony Cameron.

“It was a good effort after starting from a handicap,” said Herlihy.

“There are a couple of nice mares’ races coming up for her.”

Dina Brown was the easiest winner on the night, clearing out to win comfortably after leading throughout.

“She’s just kept improving and is better than what I probably thought she was going to be.

“It’s a great breed and she’s definitely got more wins in store.”

And while the betting plunge came for stablemate Delightful Catherine, it as the Herlihy-trained Cowgirls N Lace that won the night’s opening event, a maiden.

“She’s a good, honest filly from a nice family.”

On The Cards put some disappointing recent performances behind him with a confidence-boosting win in the night’s feature pace, an early mistake the difference-maker for race favourite Double Rocket, who ran second.

Reprinted with permission of HRNZ