Good run with three year old fillies continues

Winton harness racing trainers John and Katrina Price have had a good handful of quality three year old fillies through their hands over the years and they’re certainly excited about their latest, Ruby Roe (Captaintreacherous).

She won a heat of the Nevele R Fillies Series heat at Oamaru yesterday and certainly indicates she’s on a pathway to better things later in the season.

How she compares to other good Price fillies like Democrat Party and Advance Party will be known in the next three months.

“I guess we’ll know at the business end of the season. Democrat Party won the Sires Stakes Final as a three year old and she’s the benchmark. She (Ruby Roe) just needs to keep stepping up I guess,” Katrina said.

Democrat Party (American Ideal) owned by John and Katrina won $128,800 in her three year old season for Barry Purdon. Her only win at three was in the Group One Sires Stakes Three Year Old Fillies Championship when she paced the 2200 metres in a New Zealand record of 2-37.1.

She raced against a strong crop of three year old fillies that year including The Orange Agent, Fight For Glory, Katy Perry and Supersonic Miss.

In her three year old season, one of Democrat Party’s daughters Advance Party (Bettor’s Delight) finished third behind Millwood Nike and Mantra Blue in the Group One Nevele R Fillies Series Final at Addington, and second in the Caduceus Club Ladyship Stakes won by Millwood Nike.

Ruby Roe’s older sister Pearl Harbour (Somebeachsomewhere) won three of her eight starts at three, while Presidential Reign (Presidential Ball) won four of fourteen at three. So there have been plenty of good three year old fillies through the barn.

It’s the Group races that the Prices target with their fillies. As top end breeders they know full well how important those results are for the pedigree page come sales time.

A case in point is Republican Party (Bettor’s Delight) which won the G3 Placemakers Hannon Memorial for Cran and Chrissie Dalgety at Oamaru yesterday.

He was bred by John and Katrina and sold at the 2020 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales for $210,000. He’s out of Democrat Party.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink