Ascot Park undercard

The Craig Ferguson trained Nek Delight (Bettor’s Delight) won her first race in nearly a year when she took out yesterday’s $25,000 Diamond Creek/SBSR Robin Dundee Crown at Ascot Park.

“She was just going through the motions and we were just about to sack her. We took her to Oamaru and what happened was the number fell off the mobile arm in front of her, hit her legs and she kicked me out of the cart. She was late scratched. Ever since that day she’s been way sharper,” driver Mark Hurrell said.

From the outside of the front row Hurrell blasted the gate and took the Robert and Sharon Symon owned mare straight to the top.

“Craig wanted me to drive her positively. She seems to work really well in front at home.”

At the line she had two lengths over runner up Betting Sensation, running the 1700 metres in 2-03.2 (mile rate of 1-56.6).

NEK DELIGHT ASCOT PARK REPLAY

“I can’t believe she won so easy. She was just bolting the whole way.”

The inaugural Murray Brown – Beaudiene Bad Babe Two Year Old Fillies Mobile Pace was taken out in good fashion by Havtimewillfly, (Art Major) trained by Brett Gray and  driven by Brent Barclay.

Barclay settled her three back on the outside and she made good ground late, to beat The Queens Gambit by a nose with Ideal Crown four lengths back in third.

HAVTIMEWILLFLY REPLAY

The two year old filly is owned by Murray Little who’s Junior Vice-President of the Invercargill HRC, his nephew Malcolm Little and Malcolm’s wife Sarndra.

“She travelled beautiful, got a great run and the win was really good for Murray,” Barclay said.

The winning time was 2-43.5.

Malcolm and Sarndra also bred Treacherous Dream (Captaintreacherous) which won the Shaw Building Mobile Pace.

The two year old colt trained by Cran and Chrissie Dalgety and driven by Carter held on to beat Transonic by a length.

Barclay also won the first race with King Hit (Raging Bull) trained by his partner Lauren Pearson and the same partnership won with Duchess Of Kent (Art Major) in the $30,000 Canada Stakes.

KING HIT REPLAY

From a wide draw Barclay was able to press forward and take the lead with Duchess Of Kent.

DUCHESS OF KENT REPLAY

The win made up for a disappointing run in the New Zealand Oaks where she ran thirteenth. After that run Duchess Of Kent returned home and had one trial in preparation for yesterday’s race.

“I drove her and they went 2-58 from the stand. She bounced out of that and her hopple during the week was spot on. Her heart rate was right back to where it was meant to be and we were really happy with her.”

Barclay said Duchess Of Kent was lethargic in front.

“I thought she’d be vulnerable today. I thought something with high speed might get her. Tosana has been racing super and you never underestimate the Telfers. The closer they go the harder she dug in.”

At the line Duchess Of Kent had half a length to spare over Always B Magic with Tosana a length back in third.

When J T Boe (Always B Miki) won the last race for trainers Steve and Amanda Telfer, the win equalled the long-standing record of winners trained in one season by any trainer or training partnership.

B T BOE REPLAY

They now share the record of 168 set in 1994, by Roy and Barry Purdon.

By way of comparisons here are the stats as they stood yesterday.

Roy and Barry’s 1994 stats were 795-168-115-92 – $2,531,288

Their biggest winners were: Nippon Home (8), II Vicolo (7), Ginger Man (7), Diamond Field (6) and Montana Vance (6). Other good winners that season included Surprise Package, Brabham, Inda Bank, Chokin, Natural Creation and Hitchcock.

Steve and Amanda Telfer’s 2025 season stats are 846-168-126-91 – $2,646,379

Their biggest winners for the 2025 season were: J T Boe (7), Akatea, Christies Art, Miki Bennett and Rock Or Bust (5). Other good winners include Always B Magic, Bar Louie, Rock Band, Seaside Rose and Slots, all of  whom have won five.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink