Stella Bay carries Bond family hopes at Winton

Lyndon Bond hopes he can produce a special win at Winton as harness racing resumes in Southland today.

The Bond stable is a family operation with Lyndon’s wife Aimee and daughter Millie contributing to the team’s great results in recent seasons.

Recently the family suffered the loss of Aimee’s father Colin Argyle, whose funeral was held on Wednesday.

Bond would dearly love to acknowledge his father in law’s passing with what would be a special victory at Winton.

“The old fella left $50 in his back pocket to put on the first one, so we will do that and hope she can get the job done,” Bond said.

Bond’s first runner today is Stella Bay (Majestic Son) in race 1, the Southland Farm Machinery Trot.

The mare is overdue a maiden win following a run of consistent efforts.

“She has been going well, but she just hasn’t been trotting 100%, so Franksy (farrier Brendan Franks) has made some changes to her shoeing.”

“She worked pretty good at Wyndham the other day, so I have been happy with her.”

“She has got the ability there, you would think she would be a pretty good chance.”

“But there are some other handy ones in there.”

“I’d like to think she would be hard to beat, but at the end of the day it is a maiden trot and anything can happen.”

Bond also lines up Step It Up A Notch in race 7, the Winton Night ‘N Day Mobile Pace today.

The pacer steps back in grade after taking on higher rating bands at Addington recently.

“His last run at Addington wasn’t too bad at all … he went out hard.”

“He has got the wide draw with Ollie (Kite) on so we will see what he can do.”

“It will be interesting, he is up in the ratings now and he has to take on the better ones.”

“We will soon see if he can handle it or whether he needs to come back a few points.”

Oliver Kite’s junior claim lets Step It Up A Notch race in today’s rating 50-65 event.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Jonny Turner, for Harness Racing New Zealand