Clearing maidens – Captain Kobe and Magician produce maiden magic

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 in the game of harness racing!

Alexandra Park 13^th June

Lil Whip (Father Patrick – Eilish Aimee) Putting all that family ability together at Alexandra Park. Lil Whip, having placed in the Harness Million 2YO Trot last year, was always going to snare a maiden victory at some point – that some point being a Thursday night in Auckland. The win coming after an early move to the front of the field in the first of the night – the advantage over race rivals just lasting in the run home, denying the fast-finishing Aldebaran DB by a little under a length at the line. The family of Lil Whip is producing some great results on the track of late, Four Wise Women (Majestic Son) and A Fine Patrick (Father Patrick) are relations with their winning boots on in recent weeks. A fine family of trotting stars just added another victory in the win column.

Lil Whip withstands late challenges to win her maiden at Alexandra Park

Dear God (Betterthancheddar – God Forbid) Another winner from a family that’s known for its speed out on the track. The David Marshall trained daughter of Betterthancheddar upset the favourite Shake A Leg to claim her maiden victory at race start #5 – the win coming up after a last start 7^th on the 6^th of June in behind Matai Phil. Dam God Forbid knew how to win, notching up 12 wins in her 51 start career,  those performances on the track have now been translating into a successful broodmare career with Dear God being her 2^nd winner from her two foals to race.

Addington 14^th June

Renaldo (Bettor’s Delight – Georgia Brooke) Pinching a maiden win at start #3, Renaldo dictated terms in the first of the night at Addington, making the most of a leisurely initial pace to deny late challenges in little less than a sprint to the line. The win coming after a 5^th in the Sapling Stakes a fortnight ago. Renaldo does have the breeding to develop in the future- his dam has already left the smart Bollinger (Bettor’s Delight), a 6-time winner and Gr1 placed performer who ran Akuta close in the Northern Derby of 2022.

Forgiveness (Father Patrick – Beg For Chevron) Forgiveness had always shown enough ability to win races and on Friday she showed her race rivals how to trot, clearing out from a leading position to score a strong win on the slushy Addington track. The win followed on from a searching 2^nd in behind My Royal Break over a shorter distance in her last race day start. The win continues a charmed run for sire Father Patrick while dam Beg For Chevron gets her first winner as a mother, Forgiveness being her first foal.

Magician (Captaintreacherous – Imaginary Bet) A tough win from a horse in form and flying at the moment. After chasing Kotare Kelso home last week Magician stepped up into the winners circle on Friday night, managing a late passing lane bid on the inner of race rival Trump Card to win after a mid-race move to be on the speed when turning for home.

The consistent formline now having a well-deserved 1 next to the collection of minor placings. Magician comes from a great family – indeed he’s a 1/2 brother to the magnificent Merlin (Art Major), other notable winners from dam Imaginary Bet are the 5-time winners in Gemma Mac and Durrant. Captains Mistress, a full sister has also started her racing career strongly with 2 wins from just 3 race day starts. A magic family just cast another winning spell.

Magician casting spells at Addington.

Invercargill 15^th June

Burning Love (Love You – The Fiery Filly) Burning Love was sent out favourite in the first at Invercargill and duly delivered for trained Kirstin Green, the confident display coming off the back of a 2^nd placed finish in behind Strike It Lucky on the 7^th of June. There’s plenty of trotting ability in this family – the obvious link is to the 1/2 brother in Smokin Bandar, the runner-up in the Dominion Handicap of 2023 when chasing Oscar Bonavena home in the feature. Other winners to come from the dam The Fiery Filly include the impressive 6-time winner in Fiery Bandito (Majestic Son) and Madrik, a 4-time winner by The Best Madrik.

Burning Love burns up the track to score an impressive miaden victory.

Sally’s Pearl (Sweet Lou – Arden’s Pearl) Another favoured runner makes it a debut winner at Invercargill. Having shown promise in recent efforts, Sally’s Pearl enjoyed the short course racing of Southland, bringing up her maiden victory when dictating terms over the 1700m trip to score in 2.07.5. The victory following on from a 6^th in behind Tact Teena at Addington last week. The breed is known to leave some nice types with the grandam, Ardenart (Artsplace) leaving the strong mare in Stellar Arden (Bettor’s Delight) winning 7 race including a number of good wins on Australian soil.

Pacific Arc (Washington VC – Pacific Kiwi)   Nathan Williamson produced another nice winner on Saturday with Pacific Arc showing plenty of speed in winning from a little off the speed in the 4th of the day. The son of Washington VC sustaining a bid from wide on the track over the final 500m to score in 2.47.4 over the 2200m mobile trip.   The win meaning dam Pacific Kiwi is now a winning broodmare with Pacific Arc being her second foal to race after the winless Steel Crusher (Bettor’s Delight)

Addington 16^th June

Captain Kobe (Captaintreacherous – Millwood Minisota) After showing promise prior to getting to the track Captain Kobe had stung punters in his first couple of racetrack starts – that all changed on Sunday with the son of Captaintreacherous being far too good for race rivals, clearing out to score by some 10 lengths at the line in a time of 2.25.4 over the 1980m mobile distance.

This is a family of stars with the first foal out of dam Millwood Minisota being none other than the class act Ohoka Punter (Bettor’s Delight) the millionaire pacer who ran second in the Hunter Cup of 2016 and captured the 2019 Sunshine Sprint – a sign of his quality and longevity at the top of the pacing ranks. Other siblings include the prolific winner in Millwood Maizie (16 wins) and the slick Millwood Indie (Captaintreacherous) a 6-time winner.

Captain Kobe demolishes a field at Addington

Ucanthandlethetruth (Sky Major – Would I Lie To You) The Peter and Mitchell Robertson stable collects another winner with this daughter of Sky Major impressing in the second of the day out of Addington. Poised to ignite from a mid-race 1/1 sit, that’s exactly what Ucanthandlethetruth did, making a sound outer bid over the final furlong to score from Ivona Dadic and Millie Lou – the winner paying $33 dollars in the process. Ucanthandlethetruth is the first winner out of the unraced Would I Lie To You (Bettor’s Delight)

Henry Winkler (Rocknroll Hanover – Angela’s Dream) There was very little left to chance in the 8^th of the day at Addington. Sam Ottley and Henry Winkler making a mid-race move down the back straight and powering away from race rivals over the 2000m stand distance to score by some 3 lengths – the winning effort coming off the back of some eye-catching runs behind Kotare Kelso and Changeforthebeta in the last two raceday starts. Henry Winkler is out of the consistent Angela’s Dream, an 8-time winner who placed 2^nd in the Gr1 New Zealand Oaks of 2008 in behind the star mare Kiwi Ingenuity.

By Harnesslink Media