Clearing Maidens – Group features to maiden winners

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 30^th May

Ragazzo Major (Art Major – Ragazza Bromac) Having been competitive at Ashburton when presented in a fresh state Ragazzo Major, a Dalgety runner who had been competitive in Juvenile features last year, did enough to outlast a competitive field and take the 2^nd of the night at Addington. The win improving the formline of the son of Art Major to a win and two additional minor placing from just the 5 race day starts. Dam Ragazza Bromac was unraced but has well and truly left her mark as a broodmare – the Impressive RR Sand Dollar (7 wins) Cast No Shadow (20 wins) and Ragazzo Mach (wins) among her progeny.

Ragazzo Major fights back to score a tough maiden win at Addington

Shakira (Bettor’s Delight – Tania Tandias) Having had little lucky on debut Shakira was back making all the right moves at Addington night with Ricky May and the daughter of Bettor’s Delight producing a top notch bid over the last 400m from a running line sit to score impressively over Tact Teena and stablemate Lizzie Shelby. Sharika is well related with the Gr3 placed Tommy Lincoln (16 wins) and Lincolns Girl (28 wins) also being out of dam Tania Tandias. This being the family of the impressive Tatijana Bromac (Rocknroll Hanover)

 Cambridge 31^st May

Major Break (Art Major – Fleeting Moment) Breaking through to get her maiden win at start #4, this daughter of Art Major provided an upset in the first of the night out of Cambridge, greeting the judge at odds of 18/1. The Teaz trained runner was skillfully maneuvered into the trail late in the action to score via the passing lane. The win continues on the strong record of broodmare Fleeting Moment (Falcon Seelster), a mother who has already left the likes of the 20-time winner Gotta Moment (Gotta Go Cullect) and the 5-time victor in Lincoln Moment (Sir Lincoln)

 A great drive helps Major Break to victory at Cambridge.

Bar Louie (Sweet Lou – Motu Haughty Helen) Scoring on debut was this impressive Telfer trained 2YO. It might have been a small field of juveniles but Bar Louie did everything asked of him and more in scoring in the 2^nd of the night out of Cambridge. The nature of the win suggesting this isn’t going to be the last win for Bar Louie.  Dam Motu Haughty Helen was a nice mare, winning 3 of her 16 race day starts, as a mother she’s also been a sound achiever, leaving the likes of Motu Amethyst (9 wins) and Swagger Man (3 wins)

Te Kouka Dawn (Majestic Son – Charmed) Mike Nicholas and his 9yr-old mare strike at Cambridge! It might have been a long wait but that wait is now over with Te Kouka Dawn proving too good for them in the 9^th of the night out of Cambridge. The trainer / driver combination winning by just under a length from race favourite Bolt For The Hill after enjoying a trail trip throughout the running. Te Kouka Dawn had raced as far back as 2019, bringing up a solitary placing from her previous 12 starts before this maiden victory.

Te Kouka Dawn salutes as a 9yr-old.

J T Boe (Always B Miki– Bettor Think Quick) Another impressive maiden winner from out of the powerful Telfer stable. Favoured to take out the last of the night, the Josh Dickie driven son of Always B Miki paid back the punters, scoring in 2.44.3 over the 2200m mobile trip. Dam Bettor Think Quick was a smart mare, winning 9 races from her 32 race day appearances. Further back in the family you’ll come across the star Venus Serena (Mach three)

Ashburton 2^nd June

Dark Ghana (The Pres – That’s Random) Needing no time at all to pass maidens, Dark Ghana swooped on the lead early in the first of the day at Ashburton, never relenting the position in the run to the line as the son of The Pres took the race by some 2 1/2 lengths over Our Evire Rae and Heartbreak Hotel. The win came after some eye-catching performances at recent workouts and trials. The win adds to the tally of victorious types left by the Sundon mare That’s Random with the 3-time winner in Random Jude also from the mare.

Dark Ghana proves an impressive debut winner at Ashburton

Emma Swann (Highview Tommy – Reaal Clovelly) Improving off a sound third last start at Timaru behind Jazzys Upstart, this Healy trained runner made the most of a nice sit in the trail throughout the running, utilizing the passing lane to score by just under 1/2 a length in the 2400m mobile event from Woodlea Diamond and Auntie Deb. The win giving Tracy Healy her first training winner in some 9 years. The win meaning dam Reaal Clovelly is now a winning mother. The family is best known for the performances of grandam Clovelly Beach (4 wins)

Changeforthebeta (Sweet Lou – Ready Change) Changing the formline for the beta on Sunday, this son of Sweet Lou impressed from the front of the race. A mid-race move from Mathew Williamson to the speed proving the winning of the event with Changeforthebeta fending off late challenges from Heaven and Spectator to score at grand odds of 25/1. The damline is one that’ll be known to many, this being the family of the great Changeover and Chokin.

Marketplace (Bettor’s Delight – Cullen Who) Scoring a big maiden win in the Group 2 Sapling Stakes feature for 2024, Marketplace proved too slick for the favoured Got The Chocolates, making use of a cold sit on the marker pegs to launch a stern bid over the final furlong, ultimately showing enough power to best the race favourite by a little under a length in a smart time of 1.59.6 over the 1700m mobile distance. The win followed some consistent efforts in among the best of his age group too with a 4^th in the Welcome Stakes coming only a fortnight ago.

Marketplace is out of the impressive Cullen Who, a mare by Christian Cullen who won 5 from her 25 starts, as a mother she’s also left the powerful Who’s Delight (Bettor’s Delight), a horse seemingly destined for a tilt at the open class ranks.

Marketplace shows real speed in scoring in the feature at Ashburton

Gone Surfin (Downbytheseaside – Surfin Swift) You can’t beat pace and that’s exactly what his daughter of Downbytheseaside has. Easily holding the lead from an inside draw, Gone Surfin produced a smart 55.4 sectional from the 800m, leaving race rivals to battle it out for the minor placings as she bolted to an impressive maiden victory at Gr3 level.  Dam Surfin Swift won 2 from 13 starts and has been a sound producer of speed types, notably Wyatt Waller (Bettor’s Delight) and the 12-time winner in Surfers Delight (Bettor’s Delight)

Gone Surfin bolts away to win at Group level. 

By Harnesslink Media