Southland harness racing awards results

The Southland Harness Racing Awards were scheduled to be held last night at the Ascot Park Hotel. However unfortunately due to current Covid 19 restrictions being at Level Two, the Southland Awards Committee made the decision to cancel the event with the results instead being posted online.

Southland harness racing awards results are as follows:

Southland Horse of the Year 2021

Finalists: Pembrook Playboy, Ragazzo Mach, Vintage Cheddar and Watch Me Now.

Winner: Pembrook Playboy

Pembrook Playboy

• Ran third in the Group Three Superstars at Addington behind Self Assured and Amazing Dream.
• Won the Group Three Northern Southland Cup in a race, track, and Southland record.
• Won the Group Three Summer Cup at Addington, beating Self Assured and The Fixer.
• Other wins included the Group Three Invercargill Cup and the Group Three Central Otago Cup at Winton in which he beat Classie Brigade and Watch Me Now.
• He ended his season by running third in the Listed Uncut Gems in Auckland.
• He was the leading Southland trained stake earner, banking $107,375 for owner Chris Alcock.

Southland Broodmare of the Year 2021

Finalists: Glenburn Jewel, Kylie Ree, Mach N Elle and Southwind Arden.

Winner: Southwind Arden

• The Bettor’s Delight mare’s progeny was headlined by Somebeachsomewhere entire South Coast Arden. He impressively won a double at Addington before heading to the Harness Jewels at Cambridge where he bravely won the Group One Four-Year-Old Emerald in a super time of 1-51.6. This season (August 2020-July 2021) he won six of his thirteen starts and $122,558 for northern trainer Brent Mangos.
• Southwind Arden’s other foal to race was Platinum Stride which won three races this season and ran third in the Group One VHRC Caduceus Three-Year-Old Classic at Melton. He won $27,061 during the season.

John and Judy Stiven from Arden Lodge

NB: This is the fifth time the Stiven family has won this award. Their other Southland Broodmare of the Year winners were Arden Regal (2003), Arden’s Dream (2008), Winter Rose (2012) and Tosca Hanover (2016). Southwind Arden is a daughter of Winter Rose.

Southland Achievement of The Year 2021:

Finalists: Chelsea Faithful, John and Katrina Price, Kirstin Barclay, and Nathan Williamson.

Winner: Nathan Williamson:

• Drove his 900^th winner during the season under review.
• Trained three runners at the Harness Jewels
• Won the Southland Driver of the Year Premiership for the 13^th consecutive year. Finished in the Top Five in the New Zealand Drivers Premiership (August 2020-July 2021).
• Won the Southland Trainers Premiership with the most wins and the highest stake ever recorded by a Southland based trainer. Finished in the Top Five in the New Zealand Trainers Premiership (August 2020-July 2021).

• NB: Nathan Williamson also won this award in 2013 when it was titled Southland Harness Personality of the Year.

Contribution to Southland Harness Racing Award:

Brent McIntyre

• Stud master at Southland’s largest harness racing nursery – Macca Lodge.
• Bred, raced, and trained quality mares Jamie (7 wins) and Bonnie Lass (10 wins)
• Has been a trainer since 1993, training 53 winners.
• Was Southland Harness Awards 2012 Personality of the Year.
• Committee member of the Northern Southland Trotting Club.
• Co-breeder of Group One and New Zealand record holder Watch Me Now.
• Macca Lodge is a major sponsor of Southern Harness meetings including co-sponsor of the Southland Oaks.
• Also sponsors the South of the Waitaki race during Cup Week in Christchurch.

Brent McIntyre

Other Awards:

Southland Standardbred Breeders Awards:

Two-Year-Old Filly of the Year:  Nutcracker (P and BR Duffy) – Trainer: Craig Ferguson.

Nutcracker

Three-Year-Old Filly of the Year:  Tac Mac (C R Dixon, Mrs A M Barron-Dixon, D J Orr, Mrs J M Orr, M A Tempelman, L Tempelman, P F Forde, J G Wilks) – Trainer: Brent Shirley.

Tac Mac

Aged Race Mare of the Year: Watch Me Now (S H Sloan, Mrs C M Sloan, B R Sloan, Mrs J K Sloan, Mrs H A Gibb, A J Gibb) – Trainers: Kirstin Barclay and Tank Ellis.

Watch Me Now

Group Certificates:

• Amazing Dream (Vin and Daphne Devery): 1^st Group One Free for All – Addington 26^th March 2021, 1^st Group Two Premier Mares Classic – Addington – 29^th January 2021, 1^st Group One Auckland Cup – Auckland – 31^st December 2021, 1^st Group Three Northern Breeders Stakes – Auckland – 4^th December 2020 and 1^st Group One Nevele R Fillies Series Final – Addington – 10^th November 2020.
• Nutcracker (Paul and Brendan Duffy): 1^st Group Three Caduceus Club of Southland/Alabar Fillies Classic – Invercargill 13^th March 2021.
• One Apollo (Lex and the estate of Heather Williams): 1^st Group Three DG Jones Memorial Trotting Cup – Banks Peninsula – 27^th September 2020 and 1^st Group Three Southern Lights – Northern Southland – 31^st March 2021.
• Play Philly (Mark and Pauline O’Connor): 1^st Group Three Leonard Memorial Stakes – Cheviot – 7^th March 2021.
• South Coast Arden (John Stiven): 1^st Group One Four-Year-Old Emerald – Cambridge – 6^th June 2021.
• Vintage Cheddar (Ian and Lindsay Thompson): 1^st Group Three New Zealand Junior Free for All – Addington 10^th November 2021.
• Watch Me Now (Brent McIntyre): 1^st Group One New Zealand Breeders Stakes – Addington 12^th February 2021.
• Emma Frost (Bill Keeler): 1^st Group Three Northern Trotting Stakes – Auckland – 26^th February 2021.

NB: These Group Certificates will be presented at the annual HRNZ awards.

New Zealand Record Holders:

• Splash Cola 2-30.6 – 5^th February 2021 – 2000 metre stand – Addington (IW Hunter) – Trainer RW Todd.
• Watch Me Now 3-97.2 – 12^th February 2021 – 2600 metre mobile – Addington (S H Sloan, Mrs C M Sloan, B R Sloan, Mrs J K Sloan, Mrs H A Gibb, A J Gibb) – Trainers: Kirstin Barclay and Tank Ellis.

Watch Me Now in record breaking form at Addington

Southland Harness Awards Two-Year-Old Colt or Gelding of the Year: You’re So Fine – MCC Syndicate then from 8^th June 2021 Mrs BV Richardson, MCC Syndicate and GL Moore – Trainer Brett Gray.

You’re So Fine

Southern Standardbred Breeders Fast Mile Rate Filly/Mare: Yankee Party 1-53.7 – Wairio 19^th December 2021 – Owners FJ and KV Price – Trainers: John and Katrina Price.

Yankee Party

Robin Dundee Club Three-Year-Old Filly of the Year: Tac Mac (C R Dixon, Mrs A M Barron-Dixon, D J Orr, Mrs J M Orr, M A Tempelman, L Tempelman, P F Forde, J G Wilks) – Trainer: Brent Shirley.

Robin Dundee Club Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding of the Year: Ragazzo Mach (NB Cleaver) – Trainer: Nathan Williamson.

Ragazzo Mach

Southland Trainers and Drivers Awards:

Trainer of the Year: Nathan Williamson (48 wins).

Driver of the Year: Nathan Williamson (82 wins).

Junior Driver of the Year: Ellie Barron (14 wins).

Trotting Driver of the Year: Nathan Williamson (26).

Caduceus Club of Southland Trotter of the Year: Tweedledee – Owner: JR Bond – Trainer: Lyndon Bond.

Tweedledee

 1-58.0 Pins (Pacers) and 2-00.0 Pins Trotters:

• Arden Messi (John Stiven) – 11/09/20-NZ Metro- 57.6.
• Braeview Kelly (Paul Pearce) – 25/10/20-Tuapeka-54.8 .
• Chablis (Syd Brown) -28/05/21 – Auckland-57.7.
• Gayle Force (Tim Grant) -12/11/20 – Ashburton-54.7.
• Hampton (Wayne McEwan) – 29/10/20 – Invercargill-57.5.
• I’mallaboutthebase (Steve Baucke) -27/11/20 – NZ Metro-57.8.
• Mach’s Back (Murray Little) -17/04/21-Wairio – 57.8.
• Miss Auckland (Owen Lawrence) -21/02/21 – Winton-54.3.
• Nota Bene Denario (Robert Symon) -03/09/20 – Invercargill-57.9.
• Outamyway (Trotter) (Peter Williams)-02/10/2020 – NZ Metro-1-59.9.
• Rakarippa (Brendan Fahy) -31/12/20 – Winton-55.4.
• Rough and Ready (Robert Symon) -28/05/21 – Auckland-56.7.
• Sassy’s VC (Marty Fairbairn) -04/03/21 – Riverton-56.6.
• Sentry (Ian Bennett) -10/10/20- Northern Southland –57.9 and 15/10/20 – Wairio-1.55.5.
• Smokin Annie (Paul Hailes) – 11/06/2021-NZ Metro – 1-57.9.
• Smokin Bandar (Trotter) (Tom Kilkelly) – 07/02/2021 – Winton – 1-57.5.
• Suzie Rocks (Noddy Orr) – 25/06/21-NZ Metro –55.9.
• Sweet Lizzie (Tim Grant) -20/08/20-Winton -1.56.1 and 10/12/20-Winton –57.5.
• Swell Time (Steve Baucke) – 06/08/20 -Invercargill-55.6, 15/11/20-Winton 1.56.1 and 27/11/20-NZ Metro-1.56.6.
• Tenzing Bromac (Wayne McEwan) – 05/03/21 – NZ Metro-56.7.
• The Maroon Marauder (Ray Knight)- 13/11/20 – NZ Metro-55.1.
• Town Echo (Stu Gillan) -28/05/21-NZ Metro – 57.2 and 20/06/21 -NZ Metro-1.57.5.
• Tres Chic (Stu Gillan) -21/05/21-NZ Metro – 56.3 and 07/02/21-Winton –1.57.9.
• Yankee Party (John and Katrina Price) -19/12/2020-Wairio –1-53.7.

 Congratulations to all the entries and winners!

The winners will be acknowledged at upcoming Southern race meetings.

We thank you all for your understanding and hope to see you on course soon.

by Bruce Stewart