Kyabram identity rides emotional rollercoaster

Well known Kyabram journalist, sportsman and hobby breeder Gus Underwood experienced the highs and lows of harness racing in the space of 24 hours last weekend.

A colt foal by Propulsion out of Underwood’s former outstanding racemare and triple Vicbred champion Claudy’s Princess died as the result of a snakebite at a Brisbane property last Friday morning.

Later on the same day another of Claudy’s Princess’s offspring in the three-year-old Claudy’s Hero (What The Hill) sat parked throughout before scoring a last stride win in a career-best 1:57.7 rate for 1720 metres at Melton.

The colt has now won at his past two outings.

“That win means that horses I have been involved with have won at their past five starts,” Underwood stated.

Claudy An Gus, an Angus Hall half-brother to Claudy’s Princess and who was bred and sold by Underwood, won twice at Melton in December in 1:56.5 and 1:58.7. He has notched eight lifetime successes to date.

While Champagnes, who is from a half-sister to the dam of Claudy’s Princess, posted her third win at Ballarat on December 19.

Back to Claudy’s Hero, who is the second foal of Claudy’s Princess, a winner of 22 races including 10 at Group level and $401,803 in stakes.

The colt is owned by the Catchya Racing Group comprising Underwood, his partner Eva Glover, Eva’s daughter Kasey Harris and her husband Steve, Darren Aiken, Josh Nelms, Kyabram car dealer Ian Isaac and Harness Racing Victoria form guru Darren Carroll.

Claudy’s Hero is trained at Cranbourne by former Kiwi horseman Kyle Marshall, who rates him highly.

“I really liked him as a two-year-old and he’s getting better as he matures,” Marshall said.

“He’s gone for a spell and we’ll set him for the Vicbred series later in the season.”

The siblings Our Kinky Boots and Our True Colours, both bred and owned by the Caldow family, quinellaed a race at Melton last Friday

Capitalism, a three-year-old colt bred by Romsey veterinarian Dr Alison Miles, posted his first win at his second start at Melton. He is the third winner of Just Ask Ally, a Sportswriter daughter of the 2017 Broodmare of the Year Amarillen

Trirockin, a winner at the Melton midweek meeting, is the sixth winner out of the Vicbred champion Triliner. She was bred and raced by well known Melton personality Peter Earl

by Peter Wharton, for Harness Racing Victoria