Clearing maidens – Cathy Freeman runs and wins while trainer brings up a first victory since 1985

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’ve all got one thing in common now – they’re race winners!

Manuwatu 19th November

Vincent Reactress (Vincent – Falcon Reactor) The House stable seldom goes a meeting at Manuwatu without bringing up a victory and that winning habit continued in the second of the day on Tuesday. Vincent Reactress impressed, scoring by over a length from Million Dollar Chic and Narobi. The victory came up at start number 7. Vincent Reactress is the first foal and winner out of the unraced mare Falcon Reactress.

Cathy Freeman (Sweet Lou– Tres Vite) With a name like Cathy freeman you’d hope there would be some talent for running through the line – and that’s what this Dickson trained runner did best in the 3rd of the day at Manuwatu.

Paying around the $7 mark Blair Orange managed to get the filly into a lovely running line sit, it proved a winning position with a strong bid down the middle of the track enough to bring up a comfortable victory.

The damline associated with Cathy Freeman is a strong one, dam Tres Vite won 7 while grandam Tres Bien Franco is also the mother to the impressive Tres Chic (6 wins)

Cathy Freeman sprints to victory at Manuwatu.

Rangiora 20th November

Royal Grace (Royal Aspirations – Commander Del) A mare who had shown plenty in limited starts prior to lining up at rangiora, Royal Grace proved far too good for a limited number of race rivals on Wednesday, leading the field around the last lap of the contest and trotting away to score by some 7 lengths for Jonny Cox. Royal Grace is a full sister to the recent Cup week winner Royal Del, now a winner of some 11 races.

Just Foxin (Sweet Lou – Fire Dancer) Just Foxin only needed to keep the recent sound efforts going to be competitive in the 3rd at Rangiora and the 3yr-old did just that, pouncing from a sit off a nice enough speed to kick strongly over the concluding stages and notch a deserved maiden victory up at start #7.

Dam Fire Dancer was the winner of two events and has proven a reliable broodmare with Foxy Dame, a 16-time winner by Badlands Hanover and South Seas Rock, a now 10-time winner by A Rocknroll Dance among her progeny.

Just Foxin shows good speed in the 3rd of the day at Rangiora

Dash Dosh (Trixton – Dosh) Dash Dosh hadn’t always been all that well behaved recently but John Dunn and the daughter of Trixton got along just fine on Wednesday, proving too tough for race rivals after Dunn drove the juvenile to a position on the speed with some 800m to go.

The 7-length victory delivering a win that’ll give connections confidence that this will not be the only victory from the filly. The wider maternal family includes the 6-time winner Sapient (Britewell), herself the mother to the flying Bordeaux (Love You).

Manuwatu 21st November

All Muscled Up (Muscle Mass – Sheeza Commando) Getting the muscles out for all to see at Manuwatu was this S Dickson trained 3yr-old. The front marker proved a little too good for those off handicaps in the first of the day, winning well over Cosmic Angel and Kiss My Pixel in the hands of Blair Orange.

All Muscled Up looks like he’s been pumping some iron in the win at Manuwatu

Bigger The Bettor (Bettor’s Delight – Big Lucy) Another favoured runner gets the win on the board at Manuwatu. The Dylan and Jo Ferguson runner scored by a narrow margin in the second out of Manuwatu finding enough in the concluding stages to see off Million Dollar Chic and Tres Bonne Fille.

The win for Bigger The Bettor came up after 18 previous attempts with some consistent form at Cambridge trumped with the victory.

Becker (Vincent – Lily Lancome) Another juvenile winner, this time for Donald Bublitz whose only other individual winner came back in 1985 when victorious with Joseph John. Becker was simply too good for the limited field, sitting parked and still having plenty left in the tank to score by over a length over Bet On Polly. Dam Lily Lancome gets her third winner as a broodmare, the first two being Cute Art (Art Major) and The Postman (Captaintreacherous)

Becker sits parked and wins well at Manuwatu

Invercargill 22nd November

Always B Paulie (Always B Miki – Bubba Ho Tep) The Ferguson stable generally carries support when making an appearance with a debutante and the money was right on this son of Always B Miki on Friday. The Ferguson runner had no trouble overcoming a large field in the 6th of the day, scoring nicely from It’s A Pleasure and Angus Finn at short odds of $1.40. There’s plenty of speed in this breed with dam Bubba Ho Tep winning 4 herself and leaving the 10-time winner Brinitonhome (Courage Under Fire) as her first foal.

Alexandra Park 22nd November

Loteria (Majestic Son – Charlotte Galleon) Mastering a maiden field of trotters in the 3rd of the night out of Alexandra Park on Friday. Loteria was never troubled in winning at start #7. The effort was a good one too with Josh Dickie asking the daughter of Majestic Son to step things out over the last 400m from the front of the race to score by a comfortable margin.

Grandam Rob The Nest brings the quality to this breed, a winner of 6 herself her progeny includes the likes of Sonofthedon (Sundon) Thedonsson (Sundon) Whoseinthenest (Ambro Invasion) Galleons Assassin (Earl) and King Of Strathfield (Armbro Invasion) An amazing run as a mother!

Loteria continues the marvelous run of a celebrated trotting damline

Little Hoofananny (Art Major – Western Willow) The Hollis and Robertson stable gets another winner with a bred daughter of Art Major. Sent out as one of the favoured types in the 8th of the night at Alexandra Park, Little Hoofananny proved too tough for a limited field to score in 2.45.6 over the 2200m mobile event, the filly sat parked for much of the race and still found enough to score by a little over a length at the line.

Dam Western Willow was unraced but grandam One Dream needs little introduction, the star mare winning just shy of $850’000 in a career that saw score 18 victories from just 23 race day starts.

Twisted Sister (Bettor’s Delight – Double Twist) Another royally bred maiden winner. Twisted Sister, racing at only her 2nd start, outlasted the late bid of Princess Gracy to score a strong victory in the last of the night at Alexandra Park. The win came up after a debut 4th on the 8th of November behind Aventador. Twisted Sister is a full sister to the 3-time winner in Twista and is a 1/2 sister to the impressive Double Time (A Rocknroll Dance) a now 7-time winner who also placed third in the Listed Sires Stakes ‘Harness 7000’ feature of 2023.

Twisted Sister impresses in Auckland.

Timaru 23th November

Valyrian (Volstead – Arya) After showing plenty of both ability and poor manners in the first few starts of the career Valyrian finally put it all together on Saturday, proving too tough for the maiden rivals in the first out of Timaru. A late shift to a position on the speed saw Valyrian trot free of the field rounding the final bend, the final margin of victory a more than comfortable 4 lengths. Valyrian is the first foal out of the star trotter Arya.

Valyrian scores well at Timaru

Destiny’s Dream (Sir Lincoln – Destiny In Motion) A change of scenery may have been just what Destiny’s Dream was after with the confident win in the 2nd of the day at Timaru coming after being shifted to the stable of John Morrison. In a race where race favourite Bautista had to do things tough from the parked position Destiny’s Dream found enough over the concluding stages to see off a late challenge from Sans Repos to score.

Taumata Lad (Downbytheseaside – Kiwi Serento) Another win for the Mosely stable – and a good one too with the 3yr-old having to do things tough from the parked position almost throughout the 2050 mobile contest. Not liked on the tote Taumata Lad outstayed race rivals to score at $13/1. Tuamata Lad if the first winner out of Kiwi Serento, a mare by Panspacificflight.

Banks Peninsula 24th November

Night Life (The Pres – Cuddly Jess) After a sound debut at Ashburton Night Life lifted again on the grass of Banks Peninsula on Sunday, striding away over the concluding stages to score comfortably in the first of the day from Kiss me Kate and Gold Nugget. The Trathen trained runner had been seen doing some good work at recent workouts and trials and the 4th placing in behind Five Monkeys was also strong enough, ensuring that Night Life was one of the favoured runners for the event.

Dam Cuddly Jess was a successful mare on the track winning 5 times – Night Life is her first foal and winner

Night Life proves too strong in the 1st out of Banks Peninsula.

Amalfi (Sweet Lou– Jass) Having really impressed fresh-up at Rangiora Amalfi was favoured to take out the 2nd of the day at Banks and the 4yr old duly delivered, sitting parked for much of the event and proving too good over the final furlong, winning handily from a fast-finishing Pacific Thunder.

Amalfi is out of the Village Jasper mare in Jass, a winner of 4 herself who has kicked on as a broodmare, Scelta Uno (Mach Three) an 8-time winner and the Flying Nerano, an Inter-Dominion competitor by TinTin In America, among the best performers she’s left as a mother.

Nothing But You (Captaintreacherous – Bubbled Up) The form behind Sacetas looked a nice guide into the action on Sunday and, for Nothing But You, that form well and truly stacked up with Blair Orange driving the juvenile confidently to the front of the action early and remaining defiant to any late challenges in the run home. The comfortable length victory suggesting there’ll be addition wins for the 2yr-old in times to come.

Nothing But You is well bred being out of the American Ideal mare in Bubbled Up, a winner of two. The damline traces back to the star mare Under Cover Lover.

Nothing But You isn’t hurried in the run to the line at Banks.

by Harnesslink Media