Dexter Dunn applies the magic touch at Westport

The win of Dannemora (Betting Line) on day one (Dec. 26) of the Westport meeting at Patterson Park yesterday was a proper harness racing family affair.

The three-year-old filly was prepared by Ohoka horseman, Tom Bagrie, driven by his cousin, John Dunn, and the extended family were on hand to soak in the spoils including four time champion North American driver, Dexter Dunn.

The latter is back in New Zealand on a much deserved Christmas holiday, and Bagrie was delighted to have his cousin on track to celebrate a well deserved win for the daughter of Betting Line.

“It was good, Dexter is over for a month’s holiday and he even put the bridle on her which might have been the magic touch.

“I think it had been four years since I last saw him, we are bloody good mates and it was great to have him there. We caught up for the first time at Addington before Christmas, went to the Coast and are probably going to make an appearance at Banks Peninsula on the 29th.

“He’s enjoying seeing everyone and catching up with them and we are loving having him home,” he said.

For the better part of the last year, Dannemora has taken on the best fillies of her crop being eligible for the Sires Stakes and Yearling Sales riches. And while she has found the company a wee bit rich at times, the Bagrie trained filly finished a creditable fifth in the G2 Southland Oaks behind Aardies Express and has never let her big group of connections down with honest performances in most of her races to date.

Despite not having greeted the winners circle in 17 starts, Dannemora was the punters elect in the Graeme and Joan McMaster Mobile Pace with the calibre of her opposition prior to heading to ‘the coast’ leaving connections confident she would acquit herself well on the circuit.

“We’ve been racing her in the age group stuff and she is sort of just below the best in her crop. It probably broke her heart a little chasing those good fillies around and that was he third start racing back in ratings company. Even though it didn’t look great on paper, the drivers were coming back in after her races really happy with how she had been running on.

“We had a little bit of confidence that if she had some luck that she would be able to get a little bit of money and as it worked out with a great drive from Johnny, she was able to deliver a winning performance,” he said.

John Dunn snagged Dannemora back from her barrier position of seven early on the piece and had her four back in the running line for the first lap and a half.

With 1000m left to travel, the pair worked forward and into the race on the back of Speciale Uno (Art Major) and found the chair with 400m left to run.

Turning for home, Dannemora had mastered the front running Songbird (Rock N Roll Heaven) and sustained her sprint in the run to the judge to score comfortably with half a length to spare over the the fast finishing Alexis Rocket (Betterthancheddar).

DANNEMORA REPLAY

Bagrie purchased Dannemora for $18,000 out of the Macca Lodge draft at the 2020 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales.

She is out of the Christian Cullen mare, Gracy Lady who boasts a strong maternal pedigree tracing back to the famed Tuapeka Lodge breed of Sakuntala, with half brothers and sisters including the likes of G3 winner Talaspring (Badlands Hanover), Spring Campaign (Courage Under Fire), and talented race filly and now producer Kabet (Bettor’s Delight).

“She was a beautiful yearling, I didn’t plan on buying a filly but I remember seeing her at Macca Lodge and she just looked like she had a bit of presence about her and was a nice mover and put my hand up and got her reasonable cheap.

“She has always been a nice horse to work with and is quite a nice filly, but when you are paid up for everything you have to have a go and dream big. She is getting her confidence back now and hopefully she can go on with it and get a couple more wins,” he said.

Dannemora slides into the second day of the Westport meeting with the good fortune of copping a reduced win penalty as a result of the three-year-old concession.

It means she meets most of the same opposition albeit from a second row barrier draw which on the surface given how she was taken back from the front row on Monday wont see the marble being detrimental to her chances.

“I actually thought we were going to have to go up in grade and race in the middle grade which would have been a lot tougher. But being a three-year-old she got a concession for her second win and as a result meets most of the same horses as she did Monday.

“Being drawn the second row means she cant make her own luck but it will mean she will get a soft run and if she gets an opportunity and backs up, you would have to think she will be a real show,” he said.

Team Bagrie will continue their festive period of racing with a small team at Thursday’s meeting at Motukarara with two runners heading south for the popular Banks Peninsula meet.

“I have two in at Banks Peninsula, True Confessions and Maid Of Money who are both in winnable races.

“Both horses are going ok. Maid Of Money can be a bit hit and miss and didn’t really fire over the mile at Ashburton where they went a pretty quick time but coming back to the grass with a bit more distance, hopefully she can get a good trip and wont be too far away.

True Confessions has been whacking away and running thirds and fourths. She is no start but she in one who tries hard and with a bit of luck will be there abouts at the finish,” he said.

For complete Westport race results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink