Listed 2YO Sires Stakes Classique headlines Thursday Ashburton card

New Zealand Cup & Show Week sees its traditional Thursday harness racing meeting at the Ashburton Raceway this afternoon with a strong 12-race programme kicking off at 12:35 pm.

Headlining proceedings is the inaugural running of the Listed $20,000 Sires Stakes Classique for 2YO trotting fillies in the seventh on the card at 3:49 pm.

The NZ Sires Stakes Board has been proactively adding races to their business model that caters to a wider pool of participants, and this afternoon’s juvenile fillies feature is one that has been warmly welcomed by trotting enthusiasts.

General Manager of the NZSS, Martin Pierson, said that while he would have liked more numbers, the eight fillies taking part today was a solid start and something he hopes to see grow in the future.

“You always hope for a full field, and it was disappointing that Robert & Jenna had to scratch Kiss And Run (What The Hill), but we are happy with the quality the field has attracted for its first edition,” he said.

“Ideally with this race on the calendar now and a three-year-old Classique for these fillies the following year, trotting breeders and owners will see a pathway and start to nominate for the series as foals in better numbers.”

Of the eight-horse field, the Woodend Beach stable of Greg & Nina Hope take two debutants to Ashburton Raceway looking to kick of their careers on a solid note.

Torvi who has drawn the pole, is a home bred Love You daughter out of the stables former smart race mare in The Earth Moved (Monarchy) who was a six-race winner and regularly competitive in the higher assessed trots throughout her career.

Torvi is joined by her stablemate in Mavis Jones, a Majestic Son daughter of another former Hope stable race mare in Hot Vacation (Dream Vacation).

Stable junior, Ben Hope, admits that while they might not be winning chances, he expects to see them go nice races in todays Listed feature.

“Our two fillies go nice, and we expect them to put their best foot forward,” said Hope.

“Torvi the one I’m driving is probably not a natural two-year-old, I see her being a better older horse. She has got a future though and a nice way of going. I expect her to be a nice horse down the line, but I think a bit of the ringcraft of Tony Herlihy’s runners (Regal Girl & Luby Lill) and Sunny’s Sister will just be a bit rich for her first up.

“Mavis Jones is a speedy wee thing, a typical Majestic Son. She goes pretty nice, and she will have a bright future too, but I think she is another who will be better for the run. She’s not out of place and has been working well at home.

“It’s great to have a couple of races for these juvenile fillies now to race against their own sex for a nice stake without having to take on the colts. This year’s crop of fillies is pretty strong, but I think with the extended season it will give both sexes an opportunity to be there at the end of the year if they are good enough and should help lift their values at the sales,” he said.

While Hope will be busy at Ashburton today with a book of four drives, he will be anxiously anticipating getting out of bed tomorrow to partner stable superstar, Muscle Mountain (Muscle Hill) in the Dominion Trot.

With Bolt For Brilliance (Muscle Hill) scratched having scratched from the field with a respiratory infection, the $300,000 Group One now looks to be a match race between Muscle Mountain and Sundees Son.

Both trotters have drawn the front line, with the Hope runner drawing somewhat awkwardly in one while Sundees Son has drawn ideally in seven.

“It’s interesting really, I haven’t got real thoughts on the draw at the moment but if anything, we’ve drawn the front line which is a big positive,” Hope said. “I am confident he will begin, and I am confident he will go away. It’s just whether or not we get crossed by a few early and whether or not we have some traffic issues, but I can’t really worry about that.

“My goal is just to see him step and the thinking comes after that. You don’t want to be thinking about passing the ball before you’ve even caught it so to speak. I’m looking forward to the race, he is working super and I confident we can give it a shake,” he said.

For complete Ashburton fields, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink