Clearing Maidens – Has Harriet Hughes produced another star?

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!

Cambridge 25^th April

Barsukov (Love You – Barsukova) It’s another winner from the Chin stable. The improving Barsukov made it career win #1 at Cambridge on Thursday night, finding enough to hold out And Remember Me and Happy Hill in the 4^th of the night. The Luk Chin trained runner was coming off a strong 2^nd at Alexandra Park last week when bested by Bertha’s Pride.  Baruskov is out of the Sundon mare Barsukova with the most notable performers out of the dam being the well-performed sisters in Tereskova, a 9-time winner, and Savitskaya, a mare who achieved 3 wins from 45 race day starts – both being by the sire Monarchy.

Change Tact (Lazarus – Changedown) Saluting at start #13. This 3yr-old filly may have had indifferent form coming into the race but the nature of this front-running victory may mean the penny is starting to drop. Setting the pace, Change Tact and driver Andre Poutama were never really in danger of being past in the run to the winning photo, the unlucky Spirit Of Waiheke out too late from a peg-line sit to pose any serious threat over the concluding stages.

There’s reason to believe they’ll be additional wins in store for Change Tact when looking into her breeding, her mother Changedown was unraced but has left both Renske B (Mach Three) a 2-time winner, and the impressive One Change (Bettor’s Delight) winner of the NZ Yearlings Sales Series Final and Sire Stakes Finals of 2019 along with a number of other feature pacing victories. This being the family of the great Changeover and Chokin.

Change Tact winning at Cambridge

Lincoln Cove (Downbytheseaside – Everlasting Grace) While proving a little wayward in the manners department in recent weeks Lincoln Cove led them up in the last at Cambridge, making sure that every stride was a correct one in his way to scoring his maiden victory at start #8. The win coming in his 6^th start at the track. Lincoln Cove is out of the 6-time winning mare in Everlasting Love (Bettor’s Delight) This is a damline that meets with race track success at regular intervals, grandam Jessie Grace (Vance Hanover) has proven herself a great broodmare with Pazam (22 wins) Pacing Grace (8 wins) So Suave (16 wins) and Jessies Cullen (9 wins) among her progeny.

Addington 26^th April

Malakai (Captain Crunch – Chieko) Showing a turn of foot akin to his rugby-playing namesake, Malakai dictated terms in the 1^st of the night out of Addington to secure a narrow win over the Purdon trained Party Central, the win following on from a debut 4^th in behind Got The Chocolates at the Cheviot meeting on the 7^th.

The win is unlikely to be the last given the history of performance coming out of the wider family, dam Chieko was unraced but grandam Sakura left the capable race track performers in Bushido (Bettor’s Delight) a 13-time winner, The Bachelor (Art Major) a Listed Classic winner in Australia, and the impressive Diego (Bettor’s Delight) who is nearing a million dollars in career earnings with notable wins coming in the WA Pacing Cup, James Brennan Memorial, and Pinjarra Cup.

Miki’s Courage (Always B Miki – Siena Franco) Despite doing things wrong early this Dunn trained runner did enough late to secure the maiden victory in the 3^rd of the night from Addington – the win coming after a tough 5^th behind stablemate Follow Your Dream on the 18^th. Miki’s Courage had previously raced against top age-group company last year and was a strong favourite to salute on Friday, paying a slim quote to score.

Miki’s Courage adds to the growing number of winners from the Courage Under Fire mare in Siena Franco, her progeny includes the impressive 9-time winner in Divinia Bellezza (American Ideal) and Guido Da Siena (Art Major) a winner of 11.

Queen Tyron (Betttor’s Delight – Tyron’s Falcon Ella) Completing an early treble of wins for the Robert and Jenna Dunn stable early on the Addington card, 2yr-old Queen Tyron found the lead early and then sat in the trail throughout, using the passing lane to good effect late to win from a fighting Joyride. The debut winner adds to the broodmare credentials of Tyron’s Falcon Ella, a 4-time winner who has gone on to give birth to Jay Tee Tyron (15 wins) and Tyron Terranova (9 wins). An exciting prospect arrives with Queen Tyron.

Queen Tyron impresses, winning from the trail at Addington

Alexandra Park 26^th April

Demon Blue (Art – Major – Flying Mrs Williams) Finding enough over the last furlong, Natalie Rasmussen and Demon Blue found the line better than anything else to take out a heat of the Breckon Farms Young Guns Series in the 5^th of the night at Alexander Park. The win, over Cyclone Jordy, reversing the quinella of recent weeks. Demon Blue is out of the broodmare in Flying Mrs Williams, a mother that’s made a habit of leaving race winners, among her progeny are the 7 -time winners in Flying Mister Ideal (American Ideal) and You Fly With Me (Somebeachsomewhere).

Winton 27^th April

Wehavtime (Art Major – Luvtahavtime) Greeting the judge in the first of the day out of Winton was this Brett Gray trained son of Art Major. Supported on the tote Nathan Williamson sent Wehavtime out of gate, securing a lead that he’d never relent, scoring in 1.57.6 over the 1700m mobile trip. The win giving dam Luvtahavtime her first win as a broodmare, Wehavtime being the first foal out of the Bettor’s Delight mare.

Jonjondagoosehasgone (Sweet Lou– Kai Bree She) Winning the title of the maiden with the longest name to pass maidens this week… Jonjondagoosehasgone secured his maiden victory at start #3. A #1 draw meant Brent Barclay had options over the 1700m mobile trip, enjoying a trailing trip for much of the race before peeling to mount a charge to victory 400m out from home, the nearly two-length win coming up in 1.56.9.  Dam Kai Bree She won 6 in a career spanning some 57 starts and now has two winners as a mother, the other being Jimmy Steel (Sir Lincoln)

Bob Barrelit (Sundon – Streaming Sunbeam) Another favoured runner delivers a maiden win at Winton. This smart trotter gave Nathan Williamson his second successful drive of the day when scoring in the 3^rd.  The win coming off an impressive debut third towards the end of February. Bob Barrelit comes from a strong trotting family with his immediate siblings including Spotlight The Valley (Skyvalley), an 11-time winner, and Streaming Live (Muscle Mass) a mare who has now won 4 races. This is the family of the great Sundon – who happens to be the sire of Bob Barrelit himself.

Captainshavtime (Captain Crunch – Betterthanbrie) A smart 2YO winner by Captain Crunch. It hasn’t taken long for Captainshavtime to make his present felt out on the track, this win coming on the back of a strong 3^rd in the Entain Fillies Gr2 event on the 13^th of April. The win proved to be in little doubt with the Brett Gray trained runner striding away to win by some 4 lengths from It’s A Pleasure and Matua Maria.

When searching for the story behind the speed you find a narrative of success – dam Betterthanbrie won 5 while grandam Survano Hanover was a genuine class mare, winning 9 times from 46 starts including a victory in the Gr2 Southland Oaks Final of 2007 when defeating Seaswift Princess and Beaudiene Bianca.

Captainshavtime is far too good for them at Winton.

Rangiora 28^th April

Edward Longshanks (Muscle Mass – Dolly Jones) The hammer of the Scots hammered the race rivals in the first of the day at Rangiora. Tim Williams taking the well-mannered to the top early, extending through the run home to score an impressive debut win. The victory carrying on from some recent strong workout and trial form.  Edward Longshanks is the first winner out of the race winner in Dolly Jones (Monkey Bones)

Pioneer (Sportswriter – Melt Down) Covering ground like one of the first settlers, Pioneer snared a deserved maiden victory for Kevin McRae in the second of the day. The win, from the trail, followed on from some consistent form in recent weeks with two Methven placings indicating a maiden win wasn’t too far away. Pioneer is the only foal out of the late Betterthancheddar mare in Melt Down.

Four Wise Women (Majestic Son – Harriet Hughes) A beautifully bred 3yr-old filly, Four Wise Women had no problems accounting for a maiden trotting field in the third of the day. Early manners meant that limited favours were needed with J Dunn making ground on the inner late to claim the win from a stoic Forgiveness and Prohibited Bid.

Four Wise Women has all the breeding to go on with things too, her dam Harriet Hughes won 5 from 13 and has left some excellent types including Harriet Of Mot (Monarchy) a 15-time winner and Five Wise Men (Muscle Hill), winner of the 3YO Ruby and Northern Trotting Derby of 2021.   An exciting trotter in the making is Four Wise Women.

Four Wise Women looks a star in the making

Remission (Betting Line – Here We Go Again) A thoroughly deserved victory after producing some consistently impressive efforts in recent weeks, Remission dominated the 4^th of the day at Rangiora, leading from the #1 draw and never looking back, coasting down to win in 3.14.8 over the 2600m mobile trip. This is a breed that’s been winning a fair share of races of late with Warrior Chief bringing up another win for the broodmare Here We Go Again on Friday night. Showcase, a 2yr-old filly by Vincent also raced on that same Friday night card, finishing 4^th behind Queen Tyron.

By Harnesslink Media