Bits and Bridles

Progeny of harness racing stallion Locharburn are starting to come on stream. Amberley trainer Kevin Chapman qualified two three year olds by the Christian Cullen sire at Rangiora on Tuesday.

Bannockburn and Lochdarragh got their tickets well under the qualifying standard.

As a racehorse Locharburn won fourteen races including the G1 New Zealand Derby and the G1 Easter Cup.

His eldest progeny are three. He now has thirty one foals on the ground, three of which have  qualified.

Warren Rich doesn’t do too much race day driving these days but is still active in the Northern Amateur Drivers ranks. On Thursday night he drove Louie V Tonne to win for trainer Andre Poutama in an amateur drivers race.

His biggest winning drive in the professional ranks was behind Petite Sunset for Frank Weaver in the 2007 Listed Greenlane Cup.

As a trainer Rich co-trained with Mike Berger for a number of years. They quinellaed the 2002 New Zealand Cup with Gracious Knight and Facta Non Verba.

Bad Habits (Lazarus) looks to have a bit of a future.

The three year old qualified easily at Rangiora on Tuesday just over 9 seconds under the qualifying time.

Trained by Regan Todd, he was bred by John and Judy Stiven. Todd paid $70,000 for the colt at the 2022 NZB Standardbred Christchurch Sales.

He’s out of the Tuapeka Lodge bred mare Real Wings (Badlands Hanover) who’s the dam of Arden’s Reality and Arden Velocity. Both have won seven races.

Winton breeders John and Katrina Price will have a close eye on Auckland tonight and Rangiora on Sunday as two of their high priced yearlings will be racing.

Republican Party (Bettor’s Delight) is starting in the Roy Purdon Memorial in Auckland while Chicago Bear (Bettor’s Delight) will line up at Rangiora on Sunday.

Both horses were purchased by trainer Cran Dalgety at the NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales as part of the SBSR draft – Chicago Bear for $310,000 and Republican Party for $210,000.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink