Griffins Syndicate win number 100

One of New Zealand’s most successful harness racing syndicates reached a special milestone at Addington tonight when Majestic Love (Majestic Son) took out the Resource Recycling Trot. 

She was the Griffins Syndicate’s one hundredth winner.

“It’s great to get the 100 and it’s nice it’s a Williamson horse too because we’ve had so much success with them,” Syndicate manager Mark Noonan said.

In tonight’s race driver Brad Williamson had to sit parked but Majestic Love proved too strong and won by a neck.

“Brad said he was always confident and she gave of her best. I don’t know if we were as confident (laughter).”

MAJESTIC LOVE REPLAY

It was the mare’s third win from only her eighth start and Bev Williamson says she got a future.

“If she is half as good as her brother that would be great,” she said while filling in for husband Phil. Phil’s in Auckland preparing Majestic Man and Love N The Port (Love You) for the Group One Rowe Cup tomorrow night.

“Bev’s doing a great job in his absence. Phil may not be there but he’s still giving instructions on what the horses are doing at home,” Noonan said.

Majestic Love is out of Love Hate Revenge (Holdonmyheart) and the syndicate has won races with four of her foals, the other winners being Bet Pray Love (2 wins), Majestic Man (24 wins) and Sol Invictus (7 wins). 

“Being a full sister to our good horse Majestic Man makes the win special as well. We bred her and it’s also nice to get your 100th win with one you bred yourself.”

The Griffins Syndicate’s first winner was Rugged Cross (Sundon) at Ascot Park Invercargill in April 2011 and their biggest winner to date is Majestic Man (Majestic Son) which has won twenty four races and $ 802,470. He’s followed by Monty Python (15 wins and $300,592), Dark Horse (14 wins and $144,276) and Sol Invictus (7 wins and $124,563). 

The syndicate’s leading drivers have been Brad Williamson (36), Nathan Williamson (19) and Matty Williamson (6).  

The Griffins Syndicate derived it’s name from the first horse they leased, Mellow Puff. They decided to name themselves after the iconic New Zealand Confectionary company that makes New Zealand’s favourite biscuit.

At present they lease or own around sixteen horses. Most of the leased horses over the years have been supplied by Bevan and the Keith Grice.

“We’ve still got a lot of their horses coming through ….. lovely horses like Hidden Talent (Bacardi Lindy) and Nathan (Williamson) likes Hail Mary (Bacardi Lindy) as well.”

The Syndicate has won nineteen feature races during it’s twelve years of racing.

“I don’t think every syndicate member realises how lucky we are. We bring the next good horse along and then there’s another one coming off the conveyer belt. We don’t take it for granted but we’ve just had so much luck.”

Great effort guys – well worth celebrating.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink