Clearing maidens – Start Dreaming and Bonnie Joan leave impressive 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 February 29th

Touch N Go (Art Major – Kabet) Scoring in the 3^rd of the night at Addington on Thursday was the well-bred Touch N Go. The win coming up in 2.26 over the 1980m mobile. A maiden for 11 starts prior, Touch N Go had threatened to win before with a decent run of form coming in August and September of 2023. Dam Kabet was a smart performer on the track, winning 6 from 21 starts, her progeny include Above N Beyond (Art Major) a 5-time winner, and the 1.50.1 miler in Off N Gone (Somebeachsomewhere) winner of the Harness Million 3YO Fillies feature of 2021 when beating out With Grace and Avana.

Touch N Go with a tough maiden victory 

Invercargill March 1^st

Always Dreaming (Bettor’s Delight – Start Dreaming) You’d be hard pressed to find a better bred maiden winner this week than Always Dreaming. The debutante winner is out of the grand mare in Start Dreaming, winner of 7 from 19 including the Gr2 Robin Dundee Classic at Menangle- she’s also the mother to the magnificent Don’t Stop Dreaming, a horse without peer at times during his racing career, with Gr1 wins in the 3YO Flying Stakes, Garrard’s Sires’ Stakes C&G Final, Ace Of Spades Mobile Pace and Sires’ Stakes Final.

Dreams Are Free, also from Start Dreaming, has fashioned a fine record so far too, with 3 wins from 5 starts, is also trained by Nathan Williamson. It’s an amazing run for a great damline that continues to impress on the track.

The strong winning effort of Always Dreaming  

Xerion (Majestic Son – Loxi Clairborne) Another debut winner. Xerion, sent out 2^nd favourite, proved the best of the lot in the maiden trot of the day at Invercargill, beating out Wattle Hill in a time of 2.54.4 over the 2200m stand. Dam Loxi Clairborne (now passed) went winless through a racing career spanning some 27 starts with Xerion being her first winner out on the track, a full sister to Xerion, Olive Oyl, has 1 third placing from two raceday starts.

Bonnie’s Girl. (Bettor’s Delight – Bonnie Joan) Another maiden winner with some royal blood running through the veins. Bonnie’s Girl extended the winning feeling for Nathan Williamson at Invercargill as he also produced this debut winner. Running as the tote favourite, Bonnie’s Girl enjoyed a trailing trip for much of the race with Williamson electing to come out from that position at the top of the straight, holding off Miki’s Beauty to score by a tight margin.

Bonnie’s Girl is the first winner out of a known performer in Bonnie Joan, winner of the Gr2 Southland Oaks Final and Southern Mares Classic features. Granddam Wave Runner was an open-class mare in her own right and has proven a fantastic broodmare with Digital Art (Art Major) Break Dance (Art Major) Kilowatt Kid (American Ideal) and Sandwave (Somebeachsomewhere) being notable performers she’s managed to mother alongside the fore-mentioned Bonnie Joan.

Bonnie’s Girl salutes for the first time.

Music Mistress (Sweet Lou – Rock Chic) A juvenile winner at start #2. Music Mistress, prepared by the Telfer stable, won well over the 1700m mobile distance in a time of 2.07.6 with the last 400m being peeled off in a slick 27.2. Music Mistress has previously been placed on debut in behind the impressive prospect Ukraine.  Her dam, Rock Chic, was unraced with notable winners from the breed being Rocknroll Lass (8 wins), Ace Strike (7 wins) and Cruzee Mach (6 wins)

Dawson (Sweet Lou– Speights Girl) There’ll be a few speights being drunk for this gelding no doubt) Rounding off the trifecta of placings in his first three starts (prior 2^nd and 3^rd placed finished took place in his first two raceday appearances) Dawson defied La Bamba over the concluding stages to win the 2200m event in 2.43.1. Speights Girl was smart mare, winning 6 time over a 17-race career – her progeny also includes the 2-time winner in Bubbled Up (American Ideal)

Alexandra Park March 2nd

Smart And Mighty (Auckland Reactor – Maheer Magic)  Patience paid off for the connections of this 5YO gelding. After 14 unsuccessful attempts to score a maiden victory, Smart And Might upset at big odds in the 2^nd of the night at Alexandra Park on Friday night.  Driven by Dylan Ferguson, the son of Auckland Reactor slotted into a trail after pressuring for the lead early, it proved the winning move with the late burst up the middle of the track proving too much for race rivals despite his willingness to overrace during the running.

Dam Maheer Magic won two times during a 70-start career with Smart And Mighty being the only winner produced so far from the daughter of Julius Caesar.

Rangiora March 3rd

Transtasman Bubble (Aldebaran Eagle – Anguish) Delivering a maiden victory at start #9, Transtasman Bubble showed manners that most of the favoured types could not in the second of the day at Rangiora to score well in a time of 2.38.6 over the 2000m stand distance. Mother Anguish (Angus Hall) was unraced with Transtasman Bubble being her second winner produced as a broodmare – her first winner behind Aristocrat (Sundon) was won 1 start from 18 race day appearances.

The Bettor Major (Art Major – Glenisthebettor) Looking like the best major in his maiden victory, The Bettor Major found enough to see off a limited field in the 3^rd of the day – the win being a strong effort from parked after a mid-race move to sit in the death over the final lap. The Bettor Major had one previous placing from a 13-race career leading into the victory. Dam Glenisthebettor was a sound performer, winning seven of her 53 starts, A Bettor Major being her first foal.

Blazing Reactor (Auckland Reactor – Elsom Rocs) Striding out to win by over 3 lengths, Blazing Reactor was most impressive in winning his maiden at race day start number 7.The win came after an improving run at Ashburton when 4^th being Masterlou. If you hunt through the bloodlines of the Holmes trained animal you’ll find the 9-time winner in Ashcott El (Holmes Hanover) and Classy Moose, a 7-time winner by Talk About Class.

Blazing Reactor wins comfortably at Rangiora

By Harnesslink Media