Clearing Maidens – Splendid Dreams leaves another impressive winner

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 17^th September

Shirley Bassey (Bettor’s Delight – Poketmore) A family that’s always delivered to some extent out on the track stirkes once again. This daughter of Bettor’s Delight brought about a memorable night out at Cambridge for Danielle Green, the trainer now officially off the mark in that role given the narrow victory which came about after a passing lane bid over the final furlong. Shirley Bassey had been a long-time maiden, having had 35 previous starts.

The wider family is full of fine performers with the winner being a full sister to I Have A Dream (9 wins) and the 5-time winner in Bettormore.  Fulla Luck (Northern Luck) a 16-time winner should also be mentioned and is out of the grandam Fellamore.

Shirley Bassey scores at start #36

Winton 19^th September

No Perfect Princess (Vincent – Platinum Princess) She might not be perfect but she’s a winner anyway. No Perfect Princess had been threatening to win races from the first time she strode onto the track – pleasingly for her connections, that winning turn came up on Thursday when she scored in the first on their card.  Blair Orange made the most of a trailing trip to see the 4yr-old mare home in 1.59.9 over the mile journey.

No Perfect Princess had previously placed in 3 or her 9 race day appearances. A thorough look into the family here uncovers the prolific winner Nebulizer (Holmes Hanover) a Gr1 placed animal.

Top Of The Hill (What The Hill – Landora’s Pearl) Top of the class in the second of the day was this son of What The Hill. Previously prepared by Sam Payne, Top Of The Hill was transferred to the Brian Norman stables recently, it’s been a move that the horse has obviously come to terms with quickly with a number of placings in August suggesting a winning turn wasn’t too far away. Top Of The Hill saw off the challenge of Don Ameche late to bring up the victory at start #28

Top Of The Hill scores from the front

Glenkenick (Always B Miki – Bonnie’s Khaleesi) Jeremy Douglas has another winner – this one named Glenkenick. Racing under torrential rain, Glenkenick was patiently driven from an inside second row draw by Hayden Douglas, settling on inside runs and some late gaps to bring about the deserved victory.  Dam Bonnie’s Khaleesi could run, winning 5 times in a career spanning some 34 starts while as a mother she’s now a winning broodmare, Glenkenick being her first foal.

Addington 20^th September

Delightful Dreams (Bettor’s Delight – Splendid Dreams) Most probably the best bred maiden winner of the week. Delightful Dreams made the most of a trailing position throughout the running of the 2^nd out of Addington on Friday night, finding enough over the final 100m to pass race leader The Mantis and take the maiden win at start #7.

Delightful Dreams had threatened to win before the run in previous efforts, placing 2^nd behind Trump Card in late June. You simply can’t get better breeding – Delightful Dreams counts Hands Christian, Christen Me, Splendid Bet, Dream About Me, and Dream On Me among his close relations.

Winelight (Downbytheseaside – Sugar Loaf) A blowout on the tote! Winelight, operating fresh after a number of months away from the track, found some genuine speed from a cold sit on the pegs in the 3^rd of the night at Addington, blasting through the center  of rivals to claim race leader Gone Surfin early in the run home. The win came after a trial effort in behind Justyouwait last week.

The speed of Winelight could be explained by looking through her damline – dam Sugarloaf possessed a potent sprint, winning 4 races from her 15 starts and finishing 6^th behind Amazing Dream in the Nevele R Fillies Series Final of 2020.

Winelight shows some real speed in scoring at Addington. 

Alexandra Park 21^st September

Eye See You (Love You – Regal Petite) Another impressive maiden winner by the super sire that is Love You. Prepared out of the Screen stables, Eye See You proved a little too tough for race rivals in the 3^rd on the card out of Alexandra Park on Saturday, leading throughout the 2200m event to score comfortably in a time of 2.54. Certainly one to follow, Eye See You is yet to miss a place from three race day starts with the victory coming up after consecutive 2nds.

Dam Regal Petite was a class act, winning 11 times and amassing upwards of $90’000 in stakes. The damline traces back to the star trotting mare Pride Of Petite (Royal Prestige)

Eye See You leads and wins well at Alexandra Park.

Banks Peninsula 22^nd September

Rock Lobster (Majestic Son – Kenny’s Commando) Fresh off an eye-catching run at Methven when last produced, Rock Lobster swept into things at the top of the Banks Peninsula straight in the first of the day on Sunday, sustaining the bid to score narrowly over race favourite Shoemaker and Solemn Son. The Dunn  trained runner is the first and winner out of Kenny’s Commando, an unraced mare by CR Commando

Rock Lobster scores a maiden win in the 1^st out of Banks Peninsula.

Sideshow Bruce (Sweet Lou – Penscroft) A tough enough performance from this debut winner. Sideshow Bruce was largely forgotten in betting markets, being allowed to drift out to big odds in the 2^nd of the day at Banks – that didn’t matter with the Stuart trained runner putting in a tough performance to score in the run to the line.

Sideshow Bruce adds to the impressive tally of winner now left by dam Penscroft with the big, rolling Croft Bay (winner of 15) Pat Campbell (9 wins) and recent winner Classie Linc (10 wins) among his siblings.

Colin McBride (Bettor’s Delight – Kotare Cullen) Dictating terms and finding enough over the concluding stages was this son of Bettor’s Delight. The victory came up after a recent 8^th on debut in behind the impressive The Con Artist at Addington. Like most Dunn trained runners the winner comes from a strong family with dam Kotare Cullen winning 6 herself.

Colin McBride finds the front early winning photo late at Motukarara.

by Harnesslink Media