Clearing Maidens – Two maidens can’t be separated at Ashburton

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!

Manuwatu 11th

The Next Best Thing (Highview Tommy – Crusader Franco) The Next Best Thing proved the best thing on Monday at Manuwatu, seeing off Million Dollar Chic to win by the narrowest of margins in the second on the card after sitting parked for most of the event, his winning effort a gritty one given a mid-race break.

The House trained runner had previously been brave behind Rushkinoff at Kaikoura, hence the reason why he was installed as a hot favourite for the Manuwatu appearance.

Dam Crusader Franco won 4 from 38 with The Next Best Thing being her second winner as a mother, the first being Champagne Franco.

The Next Best Thing scores at Manuwatu

Dream On Lou (Sweet Lou – Dream Holiday) The Gommans trained gelding impressed in the 3rd of the day at Manuwatu, scoring after a tough run from parked over the 2000m mobile trip. The winning turn came up after 3 previous efforts including a 2nd at Cambridge behind Always B Charlie on the 8th of October.

The race proved a a race for the favoured types with Jetasi, race favourite, included in the quinella payout.

Ashburton 14th

Tinkerbelle (What The Hill – Belle Galleon) Finding a little bit of fairy dust at Ashburton, the Mark Jones trained daughter of What The Hill did things tough and fought on to score in the first of the day out of Ashburton. The strong winning run came after a series of sound results in recent weeks with a second behind Odina suggesting a winning turn wasn’t too far away.

Tinkerbelle would have to be the best bred winner of the week with dam belle Galleon leaving stars like Arya (Angus Hall) Belles Son (Majestic Son) and the great Stent (Dream Vacation)

Fredastaire (Ultimate Machete- Brucelle ) Another win for the sire Ultimate Machete, Fredastaire had previous form behind Shard De Arch and Sweet Willow and, in the second of the day at Ashburton, made it race win #1 at start number 10. A late bid enough to pass race leader A Better Jackalack in the run to the line.

The win makes it 2 for the season for the Shutkowski stable after Ha’Penny saluted the judge in March.

Fredastaire gets his dancing hooves on at Ashbruton. 

Five Monkeys (Master Glide – Twelve Monkeys) A rare winner by sire Master Glide, Five Monkeys proved the last mare trotting in the 3rd out of Ashburton, finding the line best to pass A Reason To Fight in the run down the long Ashburton straight to score at decent each-way odds.

Five Monkeys had previously placed behind Diamond Harbour at Methven.

Five Monkeys is out of the 5-time winner Twelve Monkeys with 1/2 brother Peaknmonkey also being a winner on the track.

Always On Sale (Always B Miki – Shop Til You Drop) After showing himself to be an ultra-consistent sort in weeks gone by Always On Sale proved far too good for race rivals in the 4th of the day out of Ashburton, leading the big field up and strolling away over the concluding stages to post his first win at race day appearance #10.

The Clark Barron trained 4yr-old obviously liking the larger Ashburton track with the win trumping a 2nd place he run to Buddha at the same track in late October.

Always On Sale sails away from race rivals at Ashburton

Catchafire (Bettor’s Delight – Sabellian) The Boyd stables can always produce a nice exponent of mile racing and Catchafire joined some notable performers from the barn to win over the short-course distance when scoring well from the front in the 7th of the day out of Ashburton. Asked to step things out from the front of the race Greg Sugars and Catchafire held on to beat out the fast-finishing Miki B and Zoom X in the run to the line.

Catchafire is well bred with dam Sabellian winning 4 herself.

Bettor Off (Captaintreacherous – Bettor Go) & Absolute Babe (Art Major – Absolutely Delighted) After improving efforts behind Bettor Fortune and Drummershavtime recently Absolute Babe got under the radar of punters in the 8th of the day out of Ashburton, spearing through the ranks from a cold sit on the pegs to scream home to dead heat with the race favourite in Bettor Go.

With no margin to separate the runners both will get another bite of the cherry next time around.

Bettor Off and Absolute Babe can’t be separated

Cambridge 15th November

Pretty In Pink (Father Patrick – Tickle Me Pink) A juvenile with plenty of breeding Pretty In Pink impressed at short odds in the first out of Cambridge, the waterlogged track seemingly not an issue for the 2yr-old who led throughout to score under her own steam.

The impressive win coming up at race day start #5 after previously placing on 3 occasions. Dam Tickle Me Pink was star of the track herself, winning 9 of her 16 starts including a winning effort In the 3YO Ruby of 2019.

Pretty in Pink score in the rain at Cambridge

Murtle The Turtle (Art Major -Marcy Runkle) There’s nothing slow about Murtle The Turtle. Defying the name, Murtle The Turtle made it a winning debut when presented for her first effort at Cambridge on Friday night, the daughter of Art Major impressing with a late burst from a running line sit with cover to swamp race rivals over the final furlong.

The 24/1 on the tote meaning few punters gave the Bownlee trained runner a chance. Dam Marcy Runkle won a maiden while Murtle The Turtle becomes her second winner as a mother after her first foal The Beaudster (Rock N Roll Heaven) Grandam Pullover Brown collected 12 wins in a stunning career including a Breeders Crown title.

Winton 17th November

Top Of The Hill (What The Hill- Landora’s Pearl) Top Of The Hill found himself top of the race call at Winton on Sunday, the son of What The Hill taking out the second on the program when a narrow winner from Phishing and Kyle Loch. Top Of The Hill had benefited from a cart into the race over the final 600m, making a nice run over the last 200m to score by a 1/2 length.

Top Of The Hill is the 6th individual winner out of Landora’s Pearl, a daughter of Earl.

Top Of The Hill scores at Winton.

Always B Elvis (Always B Miki – Tupelo Mississippi) The well named rock star with all the looks. This Gordon and Colin Lee trained runner was all the rage in the 4th at Winton – and he delivered a rock n roll performance too, scoring by 1 1/2 lengths in a time of 1.57.9 over the mile trip. The debut effort came off the back of some strong trial efforts in the back end of 2023 – the long wait to race well worth it.

This breed is well-known to those that follow good horses with grandam Tupelo Rose a millionaire performer on the track.

Always B Elvis sings all the right notes at Winton.

By Harnesslink Media