Cream rising to the top as Cullen relishes Cheviot feature opportunity

Tomorrow afternoon (April 7) will see the annual Cheviot Harness Racing Club meeting hosted by Addington Raceway, headlined by the 56th edition of the G3 $40,000 Cobbity Equine Farm Leonard Memorial for juvenile fillies.

The feature event on the eleven race programme has drawn a small but select field of seven talented two-year-old’s of the fairer sex with their chance for some early season spoils.

It’s a god fillies race and has seen the likes of Venus Serena, Western Dream and Spellbound all salute.

A young horseman with two cracking chances is Canterbury trainer, Hayden Cullen who is no stranger to winning feature races at headquarters. After all he has trained numerous Group & Listed winners in partnership with Brent Mangos, Mark Purdon and latterly Stonewall Stud. He also trained 20 feature winners when in sole charge of the All Stars Barn in 2021.

Having only gone about setting up a barn of his own late last year, Cullen admits to have exceeded his own expectations of where he and his wife Amanda find themselves heading into tomorrow afternoon having trained five winners and four placegetters from just 14 starters!

“It’s a huge thrill to have the pair in the Leonard Memorial tomorrow afternoon,” said Cullen.

“Eight months ago when we took the leap, we probably weren’t expecting to get to this point so quickly. They are two really nice fillies who should give a great account tomorrow I would have thought,” said Cullen.

On paper the best of those chances look to come in the form of General Jen (Captaintreacherous), a last start winner against a number of tomorrow’s opposition whose debut performance suggested a filly with a bright future.

She is bred to be good being by the boom sire of the moment and out of a Bettor’s Delight six win full sister to millionaire pacer turned sire, Gold Ace.

“She was a brave run, especially first up to be three wide from about the 600m and they were going along a bit. Blair (Orange) said when she got to the front she got their quite easily and just seemed to knock off. She has really sharpened up off the run and couldnt really be happier with her going into tomorrow,” he said.

She has drawn in barrier six and three slots wider than the Cran and Chrisse Dalgety trained Forever Dream (Downbytheseaside), but Cullen isnt too fussed with the drawn and believes his filly has the ability to make her own luck in the running.

“She is quite a fast horse and is still learning her trade. I feel like if you had of reversed the roles with Cran’s horse last start and how she was chasing us down, we would have chased her down just as good in my opinion. She is still learning but she has shown enough to date that she has a bit of all round game,” he said.

GENERAL JEN REPLAY

The other Cullen hopeful for tomorrow afternoon is Winelight, a daughter of Downbytheseaside who was a gallant third in behind her stablemate in her first race day attempt.

The big green filly proved a bit of a handful with some tricks that suggested that time will more thank likely be her friend, however she clearly has a motor to warrant tackling this sort of company and wont be without her chance.

“I thought she went a good race last time out,” said Cullen.

“She steered bloody awful, but we’ve made a few gear changes and added the pole and a set of blinkers and she has been working good leading into this race tomorrow.

“It’s an ideal barrier draw and I thought she was a definite top three chance. She is quite a tough thing and should keep bowling along. She has always been quite forward and good gaited and always seemed to have a bit of a motor. She has grown a lot and I really do think that next time in she will be a lot better again.” he said.

Later in the day, the Regan Todd trained Mounga (Bettor’s Delight) is rated a $5.50 favourite to add to his Waimate Cup success when he contests the $25,000 Cheviot Cup. The toughest of his opposition in Franco Indie and NZ Cup 4th placegetter Mossdale Ben have been scratched however the race looks to be a wide open affair with a number of genuine chances.

For complete Cheviot fields, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink