Clearing Maidens – A brace of maiden winners for Kerry Kelly

In our weekly Clearing Maidens article we look through those breaking through for their first victories.

It could be a long-time maiden who has finally mastered race rivals or a progressive star of the track in the future – they all got one thing in common now – they’re race winners!

Addington 22nd May

Frazzled (What The Hill – Flashman) Making up part of a Dunn stable benefit on Thursday night at Addington, Frazzled showed fighting qualities to narrowly win the 2^nd of the night over a defiant Lotus Franco and Lime In A Bottle. The win coming at start #3 for the son of What The Hill. Frazzled calls upon plenty of breeding with the 5-time winner in Puzzled being a sibling alongside the race winning Baffled.

Dynasty (Rocknroll Hanover – Special Rose) After some impressive performances at recent trials and workouts Dynasty duly delivered on debut in the last of the night at Addington. The nature of the victory, with much of the trip covered from the parked position, suggesting Dynasty certainly looks like a horse you’ll want to be follow in times to come. Among the winners left by dam Special Rose is Prestonpans, a 7-time winner by Somebeachsomewhere, and the 13-time winner in Applause, a Listed Classic 3^rd place among his performances.

Dynasty shows plenty of ability, wining on debut at Addington.

Alexandra Park 24^th May 

Classic Elegance (Art Major – Sloane Square) A debut winner with plenty of breeding, Classic Elegance delivered a strong performance to take the victory in the first of the night at Alexandra Park on Friday night. The win came off the back of a second placing at Cambridge on the 9^th of May a 4^th last week when leading up a field including the impressive Always A Porsche. In terms of breeding Classic Elegance has plenty of that, dam Sloane Square won 4 races while grandam English Elegance won the Gr1 Great Northern Oaks of 2001 when beating Braeside Star and Mika. The damline traces back to the prodigious Coo Doo (Morano)

Classic Elegance enjoys a passing lane win at Alexandra Park.

Winton 25^th May

Ultimate Cullect (Ultimate Machete – Lady Go Cullect) Saluting over the mile in the 2^nd of the day out of Winton, Ultimate Cullect did just enough to best race favourite Northview Ocean to bring up a well fought maiden victory at start #2. The winning turn followed on from a 6^th on debut when well beaten by Southside Of Heaven over a mile contest. The victory means that dam Lady Go Cullect is now a broodmare of a winner – Ultimate Cullect being her third foal.

Zeke (Imperial Count – Phoebe Revival) An effortless win from the now Ferguson trained trotter. After failing to make an impression in his first 6 Canterbury based starts Zeke delivered at short odds when going out the favourite in race three from Winton. The change of scenery and training obviously suiting the son of Imperial Count right down to the ground the winning post was built on.

Zeke comes from a family of known performers – Phoebe Revival won a total of 9 races over the course of some 65 starts and has kicked on as a broodmare, leaving the progressive El Conqueror (Sebastien K) . The best known star from this family being the Inter Dominion champion in William Dee (Alias Armbro)

 Zeke proves too tough for the new trainer

Major Medley (Art Major – Elite Medley) A maiden winner with a fair bit of breeding behind him, Major Medley, in the hands of Brent Barclay, made the most of the #1 draw over the 2400m mobile event, clearing out to win by over 2 lengths from the Alister Black trained Eternal Dream. The win sees Major Medley improve the race record to one victory and one minor placing from just the three starts.

Timaru 26^th May

Sweet Lady Jane (Peak – Lady J) A most impressive display of trotting, Sweet Lady Jane, a recent eye catcher at Ashburton when finishing well behind Kairaki Spur, brought the manners at Timaru and duly delivered, making a final burst from the 400m to put pay to the maiden field of trotters by some 8 1/4 lengths. The win meaning dam Lady J now has two winners to her name, the first being Patriot Stride (Peak)

Sweet Lady Jane is the only horse in the photo at Timaru – a big winning margin!

Commander Joe (Art Major – I’m So Lucky) A commanding win indeed. Commander Joe didn’t need any luck in winning the second of the day out of Timaru, a strong effort from the front of the race securing a effortless victory in 2.30.7 over the 2050m mobile trip. The win coming up after competing in a number of Group racing features towards the end of 2023. The family here is a strong one – granddam Turkana won the Nevele R Series Final of 2004 over Imagine That and Christiansheritage and went gone on to leave the tough mare in Folklore, 13-time winner by Sportswriter.

Keltic Tiger (Ultimate Machete – River Dancer) Showing plenty of fighting spirit, Keltic Tiger, fresh off some strong finishes in recent weeks, outstayed them from the parked out position to bring up a brace of wins on the card for Kerry Kelly. The victory showed that the fast finishing 3^rd behind Trojan Princess at Ashburton last start was no fluke. Dam River Dancer was unraced with the female line going back to the Gr1 placed Tupeka Dancer (Vance Hanover)

Keltic Tiger makes it two wins on the day for Kerry Kelly

Jazzys Upstart (Downbytheseaside – Shikaka) Early space meant Jazzys Upstart was in the perfect position to pounce in the last of the day at Timaru, the Brent and Tim White trained 3yr-old filly making the most of the trip behind the leader to best Eyeliner late in the run home to bring up a maiden victory at start #3. Jazzys Upstart potentially draws her speed from her 1/2 brother in Jazzy Star (Auckland Reactor) a Gr3 placed performer who has notched up 15 wins from 69 starts, the majority of those coming on Australian soil.

By Harnesslink Media