Southern Snippets

Southern harness racing two year old Always Dreaming (Bettor’s Delight) will race at Addington on Wednesday in preparation for the Group One Welcome Stakes nine days later.

He ran Rubira (Always B Miki) to half a head in the G1 Diamond Creek Farm Classic at Invercargill last month and trainer Nathan Williamson says the colt has come on since then.

“He doesn’t take a step back that horse. He came home, licked the bowl and was bright and well the next day. I’m looking forward to getting him up there, getting a trip into him and a couple of races under the lights at Addington,” he said.

Williamson is taking a truck load of pacers north to campaign at Addington. Captains Mistress (Captaintreacherous) will race in the G2 Bionic Chance Bracelet while Dreams Are Free (Captaintreacherous) has the $160,000 G1 Garrards Sires’ Stakes Final on his programme. Miraculous (Bettor’s Delight) and Always Dreaming complete the away team.

Meanwhile Williamson confirmed he’s having a pool added to his Branxholme property.

“They’ve only just started, it’s going to take a month or so to put in. The plan has been a few years in the making. She’s all pegged out and the diggers are in now.”

Recent qualifier Eragon (Sebatian K) is extremely well bred. His third dam Karenero (Lonero) is the dam of a host of winners including Paramount Star (7), Paramount Jack (12), Paramount Gee Gee (17), Paramount Kiwi (5 wins from 6 starts) and Paramount Faith, the dam of Muscle Mountain.

Trained at Brighton by Graeme McLay, Eragon was floated south to Ascot Park and got his ticket running solo in 3-03.0. McLay trained Eragon’s mother Armori (Sundon) to win four races and Eragon is her first foal.

Two NZB Standardbred Sales purchases from the 2023 Christchurch sales –  Hammer Down (Always B Miki) and Captain Amore (Captain Crunch) qualified at Ascot Park on Friday.

Hammer Down was purchased for $20,000 by Nathan Williamson from Steve Baucke’s draft and he’s raced by the same group that race Dreams Are Free. Alister Black paid $50,000 for Captain Amore. Hammer Down is a half brother to Belkmyster (Mach Three) which won eleven races and Citylight (Christian Cullen) which won five, while Captain Amore is out of an American Ideal daughter of Castellina Lover which won seven races.

Another qualifier on Friday, Always B Paulie, (Always B Miki) also has plenty of pedigree to recommend. The three year old won his heat by two lengths in the hands of trainer Craig Ferguson. He’s out of Bubba Ho Tep (Washington VC) and was bred by former Southlanders Paul and Yvonne Hogan.

Bubba Ho Tep won four races in a limited career and as a broodmare has left Bringitonhome (Courage Under Fire) 10 wins, and Mistahmistah (Sportswriter) 4 wins.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink