Clearing maidens – Captains Mistress adds to the Merlin 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!

Addington 11^th April 

Queen Kizen (What The Hill – Queen Kenny) A winning debut for a Tony Barron runner with plenty to live up to. Queen Kizen, almost bizarrely given the royal blood, went out as a despised outsider in the limited 4-horse field at Addington. Manners took half of that field out with Queen Kizen able to muster a final bid to catch the leading Nobilo halfway down the Addington straight.

Queen Kizen is a 1/2 sister to the brilliant Queen Elida, a trotting mare who has won the Great Southern Star, Inter Dominion, and Bill Collins Sprint titles among a plethora of other notable victories. Toro Stride, a 6-time winner, is also out of Queen Kenny. It’s a class trotting family with Queen Kizen seemingly destined to add many more wins to its story.

Neverseentherain (Always B Miki – Craft Beer) Coming out on top in what became a dynamic maiden race, Neversesntherain did enough late to snare his first victory at race day start #3. After a fresh-up 5^th in behind Cocktails And Caviar last week, the Dunn trained runner was one of many to move to the front mid-race, a late burst saw off the stoic Fulham Jive who had also put in a fair amount of work during the running. Neverseentherain is the first winner out of the Art Major mare in Craft Beer – the damline can be traced back through Bella Arden (Elsu) to the mother of the impressive Southwind Arden and Bettor’s Strike in Winter Rose (In the Pocket) 

Neverseentherain scores at Addington

 Cambridge 12^th April 

Frisco Bay (Downbytheseaside – Idealistic) Winning on a big night at Cambridge, Frisco Bay upstaged a competitive field in the third of the night to secure his maiden win at start #3, the Maurice McKendry driven 3yr-old besting Wallflower and Lord Delmar. Frisco Bay had recently placed 2^nd at the same track on the 4^th of April suggesting this maiden victory wasn’t too far off. Dam Idealistic won 6 of her 122 race day starts and is now a winning broodmare given Frisco Bay is the first of her progeny to greet the judge.

Winton 13^th April 

Oh Micky (Always B Miki – Loyal Arden) Delivering as favourite in the first of the day at Winton, Oh Micky produced her best run yet to secure a maiden victory at start #21. Despite a lack of exposed form Oh Micky had shown enough in her career to gain the support of punters on Saturday, the Jonny Cox driven 5yr-old pressing on to lead the field throughout the running of the 2400m mobile event, strolling away to win by a little under 2 lengths in 3.01.3 for the trip.

Oh Micky is the 3^rd winner out of Loyal Arden (Art Major) with the impressive Gr3 winner Loyalist (Bettor’s Delight) and 10-time victor in Mr Perfect (Bettor’s Delight) also making waves out on the track.

Bettors Anvil (Bettor’s Delight – Isabella Anvil) A tough effort from the smartly bred son of Bettor’s Delight) The juvenile from the Telfer stable sure had to work to claim his first victory, sitting parked for much of the race in the Murray Gray Memorial to claim race favourite Always Dreaming in the run to the line – the overall time a slick 1.56 over the mile. Bettors Anvil had hinted at his quality last start with a close-up finish behind Got The Chocolates at Addington last week.

Bettors Anvil is well bred to say the least, dam Isabella Anvil left the 13-time winner Mighty Major (Art Major) as her first foal, while Diamond Party (Art Major), a 9-time winner, and Real Obsession (Real Desire) a 7-time winner are also out of the mare.

Bettors Anvil swoops to an impressive victory at Winton 

Ted (Sweet Lou – Claire Bear) A debut winner out of the Murray Brown stable. In a race marred by a mid-race gallop that saw many of the field inconvenienced, Ted found the line better than anything else, catching the stoic On The Beach over the last furlong to claim the victory – the Brown runner being well supported on the tote after sound trial and workout form. Ted is out of Claire Bear (Somebeachsomewhere) an unraced daughter of the Jewels placed Minnie Moose (Bettor’s Delight), her progeny, including the well-travelled Funatthebeach (Somebeachsomewhere) a 45-time winner who has raced on New Zealand, Australian, and North American soil.   

Captains Mistress (Captantreacherous – Imaginary Bet) Another feature win for the sire Captaintreacherous and another class performer out of Imaginary Bet. Blasting down the outer of the track late, Captains Mistress captured the feature of the day at Winton, the Entain 2YO Fillies in fine style with the Williamson trained runner upstaging supported runners in Forever Dream and Spicey Crunch in the process.

The feature win only strengthens the returns of dam Imaginary Bet, the mother of the million dollar The Race by Grin winner Merlin (Art Major) who scored the major title only a matter of hours beforehand at Cambridge. The impressive 5-time winners Gemma Mac and Durant (Art Major) are also out of the mare making this one of the most successful stories in NZ racing over the last 2-3 years.

Captains Mistress continues the amazing story of dam Imaginary Bet 

Methven 14^th April 14, 2024

Practical Magic (Majestic Son – Corker Moment) Producing a little bit of Methven magic in the first of the day, Practical Magic produced a confident front-running display to comfortably win the opener of the day at Mount Harding, winning by some 5 lengths from Bodacious and Monkeycmonkeydoo. The Boyd trained runner had been putting in sound efforts recently with placings behind Judy J and Del’s Creation in her last two starts. Practical Magic is a full sister to the 3-time winner in One More Moment with the damline being known for the “Moment” name, the star Take A Moment being out of grandam Nakura.

Itz All Fired Up (Art Major – Itz All About Me) A deserved maiden win for a gelding that’s been threatening to win a race for some time. Itz All About Me found the trail in a race full of mid-race pressure and moves and just lasted to best Take A Selfie and Verducci in a fighting finish – the victory coming at race start #15. The win saw a strong return on the day for dam Itz All About Me with sibling Itz Magical Mel also placing.

Bitter Sweet (Sir Lincoln – Sweet Change) One of more impressive victories on the card, John Morrison produced a patient drive as Bitter Sweet swept into things and run away with the 3^rd of the day at Methven. The win coming off a strong Ashburton trial effort. Bitter Sweet was on debut and gave her dam Sweet Change her first win, Bitter Sweet being her first foal.

By Harnesslink Media