Clearing maidens – Running On Faith proving a wonderful broodmare as Beta Prepare delivers

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 22nd October

Rubble On the Double (Father Patrick – Daenerys Targaryen) The Dylan &Jo Ferguson team is on a roll! This son of Father Patrick impressed with the manners on Tuesday, leading from the #1 draw throughout the running of the 2200m standing start event to score by a short margin over Play Fast And Loose and Hayley Mhor. The win made it 1 win from 2 starts with the debut run at Alexandra Park ending in a 3rd place behind And Remember Me.

Dam Daenerys Targaryen was a star of the trotting ranks across Australasia, winning 15 times in her career including taking out the Gr1 Redwood Classic in her first start on Australian soil.

Rubble On The Double outlasts race rivals at Cambridge

Gotta Go Miki (Always B Miki – Hu Hu) Another impressive winner from the Holllis / Robertson stable, Gotta Go Miki beat out a small field of rivals over the 2200m mobile trip in the third on the card at Cambridge. Dam Hu Hu adds to her winning tally as a broodmare with Gotta Go Ya Hu (Big Jim) a notable performer from the mare.

Beta Prepare (Bettor’s Delight – Running On Faith) Running on talent. Deemed favourite to take out the 5th on the card, Beta Prepare delivered for punters, David Butcher steering the 2yr-old to a slim victory over Spirited Peggy and Franco Salah. The win coming up after a brace of strong 3rds in recent weeks around the Cambridge track.

Dam Running On Faith was a great mare herself, winning over $300’000 in a career that saw her win 8 times over some 33 starts. As a mother Running On Faith has excelled, known performers like Jolimont (Sweet Lou) Marathon Man (Sweet Lou) and The Faithful (Bettor’s Delight) among her progeny.

Beta Prepare sneaks a win at Cambridge

Addington 23rd October

Lily’s A Star (Highview Tommy – Stylish Babe) Patiently driven by Robbie Close, Lily’s A Star made good ground from 3 back on the marker pegs to snare her maiden victory at race day start #21. The daughter of Highview Tommy had place on 2 other occasions coming into the contest on Tuesday. Dam Stylish Babe celebrates leaving her first winning with the win too as her first foal Eliz Davolta failed to win from 8 race day starts.

Lily’s A Star makes ground to score at Addington

Ester Lucy (Bettors Creek – Donegal Lucys Chokin) After impressing two starts back behind Holly K Ester Lucy found plenty in the run home in the 2nd of the night out of Addington, catching General Rebeck in the run to the line to bring up her first race victory at start #7. Ester Lucy is from a well-known breed with the damline running back to the mother of Chokin in Nell’s Pride (Tuft)

Massive Merc (Muscle Mass – Mercadante) Massive Merc, the big son of Muscle Mass, had always likely to win races and, on Wednesday, the ability shone through, making it to the lead early in the 1980m mobile event and fending off the favoured Odina to score a deserved victory for Alan Clark. A third at Methven two starts back behind Knowing Me suggesting the maiden win wasn’t too far away.

Dam Mercadante is now a winning broodmare with grandam Pocaro well known to the top-tier trotting ranks, her career including a win in the 3YO Ruby of 2009 when beating out Dream Machine and Ima Gold Digger.

Addington 25th October

Shard De Arch (Sweet Lou – Dolce Denario) Showing good speed late from a position on the pegline, Shard De Arch hit the line better than race rivals on Friday, closing out a strong winner at odds of around 7/1 in the first of the night, The win came after some eye-catching runs behind Oneroa and Rock Or Bust in recent weeks. The win gave trainer Michael Heenan another winner for the season, this time at the big smoke. Shard De Arch is the second winner out of Dolce Denario, the first being the nice type in Rakero Slammer (Rock N Roll Heaven).

Shard De Arch shows a nice turn of hoof and scores because of it in the 1st out of Addington

Countless Questions (Imperial Count – Flash Move) Punters were right on the mark when suggesting this Houghton trained runner could go close in the 2nd of the night out of Addington. The 3yr-old had made grand strides in recent trials and that ability showed up on Friday. A sit near a good speed throughout meant a late bid from the 500m proved irresistible.

Countless Questions certainly has the breeding to extend the winning feeling with Solar Flash, a 5-time winner by Sundon, and Flashman, a 6-time winner by Continentalman being part of the wider family.

Joyride (Always B Miki – Joyfuljoy) Taking connections on a ride of joy in the 6th of the night, Joyride showed a real willingness to find the line after some mid-race work to score at start #6. The previous form had been of a consistent nature with 5 minor placings having been secured over the first 5 race day appearances.

This is a breed that’s been prominent in the deep South for some time with dam Joyfuljoy being a star mare – a winning turn in the Alabar Sires Stakes Fillies Championship of 2008 among her notable wins. As a mother she’s also pressed on leaving the 10-time winner in Joyful (Always B Miki) as her second foal.

Alexandra Park 25th October

Franco Santana (Captaintreacherous – San Rafaella) Considered a leading chance in the second race on the card out of Alexandra Park on Friday night, Franco Santana showed plenty of fight, taking it to race leader Princess Lisa over the final furlong from a parked position to snare a tough maiden victory. The win extends a marvelous record for the broodmare San Rafaella, her progeny including the likes of Franco Santino (Christian Cullen) Selena Franco (McArdle) and Swedish Franco (Bettor’s Delight)

Franco Santana proves too strong after doing some mid-race work at Alexandra Park.

I Got Chills (Art Major – Agree With Me) Another winner from the form stable of the north in Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan. I Got Chills had to work hard to claim race leader Crumsy over the last furlong but he found enough to master the Hughes runner and bring up his maiden win at race day start #10. The win capped a very consistent formline with I Got Chills having placed on 6 prior occasions. I Got Chills is the first winner out of Bettor’s Delight mare Agree With Me.

Tuapeka 27th October

Disco inferno (Fear The Dragon – Hot Toddy) A win comes up for the Syd Breen stables. Racing in the 2nd on the card the Mark Hurrell driven son of Fear the Dragon showed little fear when taking down the favoured runners, sprouting wings from a position on the peg line over the last 400m to see off Mighty Miki and Jayar Mac. The impressive display coming up after a pair of 5th placings in his last two starts.

Mother Hot Toddy won 3 from 42 and now has 4 individual winners to her name, the impressive B Mac C (Mach Three) being her most notable performer.

Bettor Fortune (Bettor’s Delight – Fortune Lover) Bettor Fortune had hinted that he was a talent when racing at recent trial meetings so this win, coming at his 2nd appearance, should have come as no surprise to those following the form. Bettor Fortune showed class in leading up the field and then accelerating powerfully to score by over 3 lengths at the line – driver Jonny Cox as still as a stone statue through the line.

The damline behind Bettor Lover is well known with grandam Under Cover Lover setting the track ablaze during amazing career.

Bettor Fortune shows his class at the Tuapeka meeting

by Harnesslink Media