Southern snippets

After a very good second in the Winton Cup, harness racing gelding Wag Star (Sweet Lou) will head to Addington for his next start. The four year old trained by Craig Ferguson is earmarked for the $40,000 Listed Betavet Uncut Gems on Friday 3^rd May.

Impressive trotting qualifier Stella Bay (Majestic Son) is the first trotter Gore based Murray Bradford has owned. Trained by Lyndon Bond the four year old was purchased by Neville Cleaver at the 2021 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales for $15,000. Bred by Murray Darnill her family includes talented Sun Watch (7), Mosgrove (16) and Hardwick (22). Bradford raced good pacer Crafty Kooba (Timely Knight) the winner of ten including the inaugural Southern Supremacy Stakes. And Ata Lord (Lordship) which won six.

Surprisingly Branxholme trainer Nathan Williamson hasn’t started a trotter this season. Usually having a handful of quality square gaiters, he has none racing at the moment. However that may be about to change as two well bred youngsters had a hit out at the Wyndham trials yesterday. Clotilde Wainwright (Majestic Son) beat her stable mate Hail Mary (Bacardi Lindy) by half a length in their unqualified heat. Clotilde Wainwright is the first foal out of eight win mare Poppymalda (Armbro Invasion) while Hail Mary is a full sister to Dark Horse (14) and Hidden Talent (5).

Major Medley (Art Major) was another impressive qualifier at the Wyndham trials yesterday and he looks a good possibility for Graeme Anderson and Brian Sceat. The three year old gelding trained by Amber Hoffman qualified nicely and looks to have the potential to win early.

Anderson and Sceat have successfully raced a number of good horses over the years.

Major Medley is from a family that was developed by the late Peter Marshall that includes Michaels Medley (7), Bo Scot Medley (6) and Lively Medley (20).

Anderson bought Major Art for $50,000 from Tony Barron as a yearling.

Ted (Sweet Lou) which won for Murray Brown on Saturday comes from a good family. His granddam Minnie Moose (Bettor’s Delight) won eight races for Mark Purdon and Grant Payne. Ted was bred by Andrew Grierson who shares in the ownership with Brown.

Nathan Williamson says both Dreams Are Free (Captaintreacherous) and Miraculous (Bettor’s Delight) have come through their race at Winton on Saturday well.

Both will start in Sunday’s $60,000 Group Two Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes. Williamson has succeeded in winning the race twice before – with Ragazzo Mach (Mach Three) in 2021 and Sand Wave (Somebeachsomewhere) in 2022.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink