Clearing maidens – Juvenile winners impress at Oamaru

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!

Cambridge 8th October

Captains Secret (Captain Crunch – Secret Desire) The Stonewall Stud team produce another impressive winner with Captains Secret. The juvenile gelding making a good impression in the 3rd of the night out of Cambridge, managing a stout move from a running line sit to mount the winning run with some 400m to go. There’s plenty of breeding behind the winner with dam Secret Desire winning no less than 8 races during her racing career, as a mother she’s now left 4 individual winners.

The wider family includes the names Sweet Diamond (Sweet Lou) and the impressive Mach Time, winner of some 29 races across the globe.

Captains Secret scores well at Cambridge.

Always B Charlie (Always B Miki – Charleston Belle) Another strong damline leaves a very nice type. This Teaz trained runner stepped up from a last start 5th on the 24th of September to score in the 5th on the card. The leading position obviously agreeing with the 5yr-old horse. Dam Charleston Belle won 5 from 53 and celebrates becoming a winning broodmare with the win too, Always B Charlie being her first foal.

Addington 9th

Meandad (Creatine – Donsmedad) The Mark Jones stable is producing some strong efforts currently and this winning turn by Meandad continued that good run of winning form on Wednesday. The 4yr-old, when driven by Samantha Ottley, making the most of a sit near the speed throughout the running of the 2000m standing start event, a late bid from the 300m down the outer meaning the nature of the victory was easy for those that got on at around the $4 mark.

Dam Donsmedad was a more than useful mare, winning 7 races from 79 starts – Meandad also sees here become a winning broodmare with Meandad being her first foal.

Meandad wins well from the trail at Addington

Spectator (He’s Watching – Smooth Maker) Another runner who has been meaning to win a race for sometime, the House trained runner again made the most of a nice draw and good sit on the back of the leader to snare victory via the passing lane late in the 4th of the day out of Addington. The win came up at start #20 with 5 previous placings prior to the victory.

Dam Smooth Maker only won 2 from 65 but has been terrific as a mother, leaving the very good 7-time winner Excuse Maker (McArdle) and the 12-time winner Mach’s Gladiator (Mach Three) as her first two foals.

Spectator counts the strong Mach’s Gladiator as a close relation.

Holly K (Net Ten OEM – Jacqueline K) The Borcoskie trained mare brought her manners on Wednesday and that fact proved the winning of the race with Blair Orange able to dictate terms and blast away from race rivals over the final furlong to score a sound win over the short 2000m standing start event. Holly K paid around the $8 to win with her exposed form in recent weeks coming behind Hugo and Sandy Shore.

Northern Southland 10th October

Mode (Trixton – Ugly Betty) Scoring in the1st of the day out of Invercargill on Thursday, this Mowbray traind runner impressed, scoring after leading throughout the event and seeing off some mid-race challenges too to take the win at odds of around $8. Previous placings in the career had come at Oamaru and Addington.

In terms of breeding Mode is out of 2-time winner in Ugly Betty with the impressive 4-time winner Southern Diamond also being out of the mare. Pocaro (Sundon) and Springbank Sam (Sundon) are class performers found further back in the wider family.

Mode scores well at Invercargill

Tomcat (He’s Watching – Varanasi) One of the most impressive maiden winners of the week. The Brett Gray runner sustained a fight throughout the run home after showing great gate-speed early in the 2nd of the day, seeing off Drummershavtime late to score as an outsider of the field at around $27. The nature of the debut win suggests there’ll be more to come from the son of He’s Watching.

Tomcat is a horse to follow after an impressive debut win.

Delightful Peg (Bettor’s Delight – Elite Medley) Delightful Peg had always shown enough ability to win races and on Thursday she put it all together to score a confident win from the top of the field. The run to the line was comfortable enough as the daughter of Bettor’s Delight held off Sweet Trixie by a little over a length at the line. Delightful Peg became the third individual winner out of the Live Or Die mare Elite Medley with the win.

Addington 11th October

Midnight Miki (Always B Miki – Weownthenight) After a strong showing behind The Lazarus Effect last week punters had confidence that Midnight Miki could go a step further this week and his maiden – and they were right on the money with the son of Always B Miki digging deep over the concluding stages to get up by a small margin over Sacetas.

The prior form shown by Midnight Miki had been around the boom juvenile Marketplace – hence the confidence from those that backed him into favoritism.

Midnight Miki finds enough to score in the first out of Addington.

Alexandra Park 11th October

And Remember Me (Andover Hall – So Long Marianne) A strong winning effort from the Emily Johnson driven daughter of Andover Hall. And Remember Me could be a name you’ll want to remember going forward as this confident front-running victory suggests they’ll be more winning efforts to come in the future.

The win extends the career record to 1 win and 4 minor placings from just the 9 race day starts. Dam So Long Marianne has proven capable as a broodmare with the 9-time winner Anditover (Andover Hall) being a notable performer from her progeny.

The Jolly Roger (Always B Miki – Ice Imperial) This Jolly Roger is now a winning Jolly Roger. Peter Ferguson left and The Jolly Roger it late in the run in the last on the night, only getting clear late but showing an ability to lift late to bring up his maiden win at start #7. The Dunn trained runner had been a model of consistency throughout his career prior to the win with a number of placings in behind some progressive individuals in weeks gone by.

The Jolly Roger is the first winner out of the Bettor’s Delight mare in Ice Imperial.

Oamaru 13th October

Franco Sheriff (Vincent– Shieldmaiden) After showing a nice finish at Timaru behind Fun To Come last start Franco Sheriff went one better in the first out of Oamaru on Sunday, finding enough to get past a tough Bautista from the 1/1 position. The win was the 2nd of the year for Brian Zampese after Touch N Go scored in late February.

Franco Sheriff shows plenty of speed to score at Oamaru

Mikki Koivu (Majestic Son – Tehoro Diva) The red light should have been on this runner after a sound last furlong last time out behind Shoemaker at Timaru – however punters left the Latimer trained runner alone yet again, as the son of Majestic Son scored at big odds of 16/1. The 4yr-old was well handled by Matthew Williamson who forged to the front early before taking a trail throughout the rest of the trip – the winning margin a tight one at the line over Diamond Harbour.

Allbetsroff (Bettor’s Delight – Onlyforyou) Another surprise winner at Oamaru, albeit a well-bred one. This Trent Yesberg trained runner scored at 20/1 after favourite Rock Or Bust made an early gallop and had to do extra mid-race work. The 2nd-up win was a good one though with Allbetsroff showing a nice turn of speed at dispatch and a willingness to find the line over the last furlong.

Dam Onlyforyou was an exceptional juvenile, winning the 2YO Fillies Diamond of 2012 from Rozelski and Tandias Bromac. Allbetsroff is her 5th individual winner.

Allbetsroff, placed 9th on debut, bursts through to score at his 2nd race day appearance.

Arafura (Sweet Lou – Spirit Of Delight) Continuing a strong week for those out of the Hayden Cullen stables, Arafura impressed in the Denice Swain Memorial, racing parked through much of the race and showing a real quality to score by a slight margin over the race favourite in Bettor Be Quick – the win coming up despite a late gallop that saw the filly lose a number of lengths just 200m out from home.

Dam Spirit Of Delight now has two winners as a mother with her first foal being the impressive Spirit Of Arion (Sweet Lou)

Arafura comes again after a late gallop to win at Oamaru

Chaldon (Art Major – Chal Roco) Having covered this horse in recent ‘Speed In The Breed’ articles it was nice to see the Barron trained runner show some of his obvious ability at Oamaru. The debut win was a strong one too with Chaldon showing plenty of early speed followed by the stamina to score well late too.

The debut winner continues a very strong hand displayed by broodmare Chal Roco, her progeny including the 7-time winner Chal Shocked (Jereme’s Jet) and the 12-time winner in Chal Patch (Art Major)

By Harnesslink Media