Blanchard blowout

Last night’s win in the Group One Caduceus Club Fillies Classic at Alexandra Park by the Peter and Vaughan Blanchard trained harness racing filly Beetastic (Bettor’s Delight) was the biggest upset in the thirty eight year history of the race.

With a field that was full of classy fillies, the win was certainly unexpected and the $75.40 payout for Beetastic reflects the fact!

BEETASTIC REPLAY

To make the night even more special, this was the first Group One win for the father and son partnership which has been together since 2015.

“It’s very special and it’s what we’re in the game for. It was a huge buzz,” Vaughan said.

Peter has now trained 714 winners on his own or in a variety of partnerships and his last and only Group One win was with Jiffy’s Girl in the 1990 Great Northern Oaks. She won thirteen races.

“Dad was over the moon. He’s pretty fond of this filly and he compares her with Jiffy’s Girl. They were both small so there’s a huge similarity.”

The win also highlights the strong relationship between driver Peter Ferguson and the Blanchards. Of the 130 wins the training partnership has recorded, 58 have been driven by Ferguson.

“I’ve had a long association with Blanch (Peter Blanchard) and to get one for them is even more rewarding” Ferguson told his daughter in-law Jo on her Track Chat Facebook page.

Ferguson’s first winner for Peter was Master Tony at Alexandra Park over thirty seven years ago.

Last night’s win was the driver’s 18^th Group One success. His first was driving Cinimod Junior in the Television NZ Mile at Addington in February 1987.

It was also the fourth time Ferguson has driven the winner of the Caduceus Club Fillies Classic. His previous successes came in 1997 with Chapel Magic, 1998 driving Electric Kiwi and Flying Pocketlands in 2009.

“He’s a great driver and a great horseman. It’s a huge help when you’ve got someone like that driving them,” Vaughan said.

The Blanchards paid a late nomination fee of $8,600 for Beetastic to race in last night’s feature.

“I felt like she deserved her spot if she got a good draw. When the draws came out it was a wee bit deflating. I worked her on Wednesday and she worked really really good, but I still downplayed it because of the draw.”

From a second row draw Ferguson had no option but to settle his filly in the last four of the large field. Beetastic was last at the 800 before he decided to join the three wide line. He had to bring Beetastic four wide exiting the last bend and she flew home to win by a length from Always B Magic.

“With a lap out I didn’t know what to think. At the 600 I saw her tack on to the three wide train. I saw her white cart come wide and I thought she was going to run right into it. Aaron (commentator Aaron White) never really called her until late. I thought she may have hit a flat spot because I was watching her from a bad angle.”

What made the win even more impressive was Ferguson was unable to pull the removeable deafeners as the cord was entangled.

“It got caught round the tee where the overcheck clips to but hey, she did it pretty well without being able to pull the deafeners. I knew she’d get the 2200 metres because she’d been racing older horses over that distance and some of the others had only been racing over 1700 metres.”

Last night’s win put a dent in a few more favoured runners reputations and despite Beetastic having won her last start she was the ninth win favourite in the thirteen horse field.

 “They had full confidence in the horse and I just drove her quietly, biding our time and the race was run to suit us. She tries really hard and is getting better every start,” Ferguson said.

Beetastic is raced by Vaughan, Richard and Sheena Coles, Vaughan’s brother Kyle, the Pipe Dreams Syndicate, Australian jockeys Rory Hutchings and Lee Magorrian, Greg Versalko, Grant Thomas and P J Mullins.

“Our family go a long way back with Rory when Dad was down at Graeme Rogersons. Rory was his main apprentice there. He’s a similar age to my brother Kyle. He got Rory in on the horse and Rory is very friendly with Lee Magorrian.”

After the race Ferguson was quick to add that he’ll be looking for a ‘sling’ at some stage.

“Two very wealthy jockeys in Australia own her and I can’t wait for them to get home because they know where I live.” (laughter)

Vaughan, Kyle, The Pipe Dreams Syndicate, Versalko, Thomas and Mullins also raced Beetastic’s half-brother Hugotastic (Sweet Lou) which won three races for the Blanchards.

Beetastic was passed in for $30,000 at the NZB Standardbred Auckland Sales. She’s out of the Art Major mare Its All On which won two races for Todd Mitchell.

“Hugotastic had had his first start for us and Danny Blakemore from Woodlands said a half-sister had been passed in at the Sales and was in work with Jeremy Young.”

Beetastic was ready to be turned out so Vaughan decided to head to the Young stable to see her work.

“She was very small but she showed a little bit when she sprinted up. We couldn’t get owners straight away so my wife Amy and I bought her.”

The win elevates Beetastic into the number three slot for the $100,000 Ace Of Diamonds at Addington on the 29^th November.

“I haven’t mapped out were she’s going to go next. There’s a two year old Golden Gait at Auckland ($100,000 Two Year Old Pace – 20^th December). There is talk about possibly paying a late fee for the Sires’ Stakes as well but I haven’t really let it sink in. It’s been a real team effort with my brother Kyle, farrier Shane Butcher and Amy for putting up the money to buy the horse (laughter).”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink