Son mirrors mum with first win

Miss Elsie won on debut at Ascot Park eleven years ago, and her son Mr McLaren did the same on his own debut outing today.

Co-incidentally the winning margin of three quarters of a length was an exact repeat at well.

Kirk Larsen and Mr McLaren warming up

The three-year-old gelding is by Mach Three out of seven-win Elsu mare Miss Elsie and was bought at the National Yearling Sales for $31,000.

“With the size that he was, he was a bit behind the eight ball as a young horse and that’s why we got him for the price we did. Today’s win works out well because he’s still three until Christmas,” said trainer driver Kirk Larsen.

The horse is owned by the Own the Moment Syndicate which is made up of 100 shares. Unfortunately Covid 19 restrictions mean the group were unable to be on course to enjoy the win together, but will no doubt be owning their moment far and wide.

“He’s taken a bit of making and can be a big of a geek at times but he’s a lot more mature this time in. It’s great for the syndicate. He had a flap of skin on his throat which we had to operate on because the skin was cutting his air flow. It wasn’t a major (operation) but since we’ve done that, he’s been a different horse.”

Larsen who is known for getting his horses well prepared for their debut runs was relatively confident of a forward running today.

“He’s only had two runs. I’d normally give him three (workouts), but he had a good run at home a week before we went to the workouts. He felt pretty good at both of his workouts.”

Miss Elsie has been an excellent broodmare, leaving quality racehorses Raukapuka Ruler the winner of six, including the 2017 Northern Derby. He was also placed in the Vero Three-Year-Old Flying Stakes. Her third foal, War Dan Delight won the Sapling and Kindergarten Stakes as a two-year-old.

The family goes back in lineage and includes Village Rose and City Rogue, a family Robin Butt had great success with.

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by Bruce Stewart