Clearing maidens – Tact Teva looks a star in the making

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 27^th August

So Mystifying (Father Patrick – Rondo) Delving into this family you come across some known performers – hence the maiden win of So Mystifying could well have a matter not if but when. The McCaffrey trained runner beating out Cosmic Angel and Chemical Dreams to claim the maiden win at start #5. The victory came after impressing at the same track when 3rrd behind Topaz Castleton on the 13^th of August. Mother Rondo won 9 times during a 76 start career, her progeny including the current performer in Kink (Love You).

So Mystifying continues a strong run for the broodmare Rondo.

Steel Ledger (Franco Ledger – Bub’s Hanover) A winner for the Southern star Franco Ledger. Favoured to win the second out of Cambridge, Steel Ledger did just that, dictating terms after a mid-race move and striding away over the final furlong to win by some 3 lengths at the line – Blair Orange handling the Tate Hopkins trained runner to the victory after being placed in the Southern racing scene for some time. .

Says Who (He’s Watching – Princess Kate) All the money was on this son of He’s Watching late on in the Cambridge card – and the money proved well placed with the 3yr-old proving too strong for the limited field or 6 rivals. Nicky Chilcott and Says Who working to the lead and holding off challenges in the run home to score by a little over a length.

Says Who leads for much of the race, winning effortlessly at Cambridge.

Winton 29^th August

Tact Teva (Lather Up – Tact Hayley Jane) A star filly in the making. Tact Teva, heavily supported on the tote, couldn’t have been more impressive on debut, striding away to win the 1^st of the day out of Winton in a time of 1.58.2 over the mile trip, the last sectionals of 56.9 and 26.1 suggesting the motor is certainly there for the daughter of Lather Up. It’s a win that would have been celebrated by the Southerners  too with the ‘Tact’ name being associated with the region. Dam Tact Hayley Jane won 10 from 26 so was a progressive mare herself. Tact Mcleod (5 wins) and Tact Hayleys Delight (16 wins) are close relations – making this a family that knows how to win races.

Tact Teva could be the next big thing to come out of the juvenile ranks.

Popnrock (Majestic Son – Rocknpop) The trek South obviously did wonders for the Tomlinson trained runner. Sent out favourite, Popnrock enjoyed a trailing position throughout the running, mastering Top Of the Hill late to score well. Dam Rocknpop won 9 times during her career with Popnrock being her first foal.

Trendy Van Gogh (Vincent – Trendy’s Bad Girl) Another winner for the sire Vincent, Blair Orange and Trendy Van Gogh extended a smart run of form for the 3yr-old, capping off some consistent performances with this win over the mile journey on Tuesday.Trendy Van Gogh impressed with a staying effort after being parked for much of the race after a lead bid was denied early in the contest.

Trendy Van Gogh shows a willingness to dig deep in winning her maiden

Jaccka Evan (Ultimate Machete – Elva Jaccka) Ultimate Machete can add another tick to the winners left column after this 3yr-old scored at Winton on Tuesday. The Gray trained runner, favoured on the tote, was driven confidently by B Barclay, going around the race leader to lead up the field with some 600m to go, it turned out the winning move with a margin of 2 lengths suggesting the horse has additional wins in him. Dam Elva Jaccka  scored 5 victories herself in a career spanning some 38 race day starts, Jaccka Evan being her first foal and winner.

Addington 30^th August

Louretta (Sweet Lou – Falcon’s Flybye) After having threatened to win a race throughout the 6 previous starts, Louretta found enough to take out the first of the night out of Addington on Friday, a late passing lane effort just enough to hold off the fast-finishing Rock Or bust out of the Telfer barn.

Dam Falcon’s Flybye was unraced but as a mother has met with some great success, Fleeting Grin , a 11-time winner by Grinfromeartoear, and Inflight, a 5-time winner by Bettor’s Delight, among her now 7 winners she’s left.

Louretta posts a maiden win at start #7

Major Cyclone (Father Patrick – Cyclone Emily) No one told Major Cyclone he was racing up against race winners! Sent out up in grade and facing seasoned types, Major Cyclone left them all gasping, Bob Butt making a mid-race move in the 2000m stand event to, quite simply, trot the opposition off their hooves over the final 400m or so.

The impressive victory came after closing off well when racing in maiden company through early August. Dam Cyclone Emily won 2 times with the wider family including the 4-time winner in Cyclone Chief.

Major Cyclone beats the older horses at Addington, an impressive accomplishment

Always Be Batman (Always B Miki – Flying Anvil) A Batman flying at Addington raceway. This Jeremy Douglas trained runner came into the 6^th of the night at Addignton with some strong trial form, and it showed with the son of Always Be Miki taking the passing lane to catch race leader Treasure Cove early in the run home, John Dunn hardly moving in the run to the line.

This damline traces back to Bee Gee’s Dream, mother to Party Party, Another Party and the celebrated Champagne Party – there’s every reason to believe the family has another star in the making in Always Be Batman.

Alexandra Park 30^th August

Ya Eejit Ya (Majestic Son – One Night Stand) A juvenile worth following in  times to come, this 2yr-old by Majestic Son proved too good at Alexnadra Park, taking out the first on their program on Friday night. The McCaffrey trained runner is the second winner out of Sheez Speedy after Bun In The Oven (Dream Vacation)

Always Be Mattie (Always B Miki – Diamonds And Dust )Always Be Mattie is bred to be a good racehorse and, by the look of the 2nd start win, that breeding has well and truly kicked in.  The win from the front coming up in 2.42.5 over the 2200m mobile trip – a sound time with more in store no doubt.

Dam Diamonds And Dust has proven herself a class act as a broodmare, the 5-time winner Betterbebetter, the 15-time winner Eighteen Carat, and the smart 5-time winner Queen Of Diamonds are all winning offspring.

Always Be Mattie dictates and wins well at Alexandra Park.

Ashburton September 1st

Clovelly Hill (What The Hill – Jayceekay) A patient drive by Blair Orange and some nice manners from Clovelly Hill combined in the 1^st of the day out of Ashburton as the J Howe trained runner made good on some recent strong form to salute at race start #8. Having settled in 5^th off the unruly starting position Blair Orange made a move down the back straight to take the lead from an improved Zsa Zsa Binx, from there Clovelly Hill held out to score in fine fashion.

Dam Jayceekay had real ability, winning 8 from some 54 starts – Clovelly Hill is her first winner as a mother.

Clovelly Hill scores a deserved win at Ashburton.

Little Biddy (Sportswriter – Mahendra)  The #1 draw may have proven the difference for this Steven mcRae trained daughter of Sportswriter, a 3-deep trip over the 1700m meant that the yr-old mare had plenty to offer over the final furlong or so, upstaging the well supported Carrera Bravo and race leader Spectator in the run to the line. Again a strong history of performance is evident within the damline here – Mahendra being mother to the impressive Balraj (Art Major) a 14-time winner.   

 Little Biddy takes the passing lane to the winning post in the 2^nd out of Ashburton

Cyclone Zion W (Father Patrick – Cyclone Vance) it was a case of catch us if you can in the 3^rd on the card out of Ashburton on Sunday. The race saw favoured types Cyclone Zion W and Wypout kick clear of the field over the early stages – at the 400m mark that two-horse race became a one-horse procession with Cyclone Zion W putting pay to the rivals to score by some 6 lengths from Our Evie Rae and Wypout.

The impressive win followed up some impressive trial and workout performances – thus the animal was sent out as one of the race favourites.

Sandy Shore (Sunshine Beach – Stradowan)Another favourite home at Ashburton. After a gutsy showing last week at Addington behind Without You the Telfer trained runner was punted into favouritism for the 4^th of the day at Ashburton – and it proved that the money was on point as Sandy Shore dictated terms and kicked clear to bring up the maiden victory – although the slow initial tempo would have obviously helped.

The family is known for the exploits of dam Stradowan – the winner of 5, and, further back in the damline, Classiebawn, who left 9 individual winners.

Sandy Shore ramps it up over the final 400m to score at Ashburton.

by Harnesslink Media