Tactical Landing sires first NZ winner in incredible fashion

On paper it was a match made in harness racing heaven.

Tactical Landing, the blue blooded champion son of Muscle Hill over one of the quickest trotting mares produced in New Zealand over the last decade in Wilma’s Mate (Pegasus Spur).

In theory it sounds simple, but as we know in breeding, often some of the most beautifully bred race horses fail to live up to their lineage.

After tonight’s Renwick Farms Two-Year-Old Mobile Trot at Addington Raceway, the resulting first foal of trotting royalty, Wilma’s Boy and his debut effort in annihilating a full field of juvenile trotters suggests the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree.

In the green and white sleeves of his trainer and driver, Bob Butt, Wilma’s Boy careered away to a nine length romp in his first race day appearance, with the aftermath leaving more questions than answers.

For while the assertion can be made that the son of Tactical Landing might be a leading light come the classics at the end of the year, the connections of the horse have yet to decide that fate.

“He’s got a lot of ability, he’s still got a lot to learn and is not the best gaited yet but I think next year he could be a real good horse hopefully,” said his trainer/driver, Bob But to Nigel Armstrong of Harness Racing Unhinged after the race.

“He’s a lovely horse, he is well bred. I drove his mum to win a couple of races and obviously she was a really good mare.

“I was going to tip him out after tonight, but there is some big money coming up. I’ll have a chat with Richard and Margaret, they are great owners and we still might give him a spell given he could make a nice Derby horse in the future,” he said.

If Wilma’s Boy was to head to the paddock, we didn’t learn a lot about those in behind, such was the dominance of the performance.

Nine months into the season, the leading two-year-old trotting stallion in Father Patrick has $33k to his name, which tells you opportunities have been scarce.

With little exposed form into this seasons juvenile crop by virtue of some less than favourable programming options for the two-year-old trotters, not many knew what to expect from the ten horse field, three of whom were debutants.

The Phil Williamson trained Empire City (Volstead) had created an enormous impression herself when putting away the aged trotters on debut back in June, and with that fresh in the minds of punters went into the contest an odds on favourite.

She was off the bit and gasping for air a long way from home while in pursuit of the tear away leader, and faded late to finish fourth in her first run for nearly three months. Filling the placings was the Katie Cox trained and driven Lottie’s Moment (Majestic Son) while the Paul Nairn trained Wypout (Father Patrick) snuck home along the markers for third.

The winning time for 1980m mobile contest was a tidy 2:30.6, with a mile rate of 2:02.3 and closing sectionals of 59.6 and 30.2.

WILMAS BOY REPLAY

The astute judges may have noticed the winner was wearing half hopples, which for some trotting breeders seems to be a point of contention, particularly where stallion selection is concerned.

To the some the gear indicates a lack of gait, where in actual fact, more and more trotters, particularly in North America are taking advantage of the benefits they provide as the breed continues to get faster.

Butt made mention of the fact when back in the stalls.

“They’re just a confidence thing, he can just lose concentration a wee bit,” he said.

The Jenna and Robert Dunn team utilised them with the enigmatic full sister to champion trotter Sundees Son, with reinsman John noting Sunny’s Sister had the addition of the half hopples for her own confidence and duly delivered with a win a handful of races later on the programme.

The performance of Wilma’s Boy seemed to come as a bit of a pleasant surprise for his connections, with breeder and owner, Richard Cornelius naturally delighted with the result.

“After the run at the trials the plan was to go out in the paddock, but after coming back to the stalls John Dunn thought we should line him up somewhere,” he said.

“Speaking to Bob about it, he felt that one run wouldn’t do him any harm. We were only expecting a quiet run tonight and that would be about it,” he smiled.

“He did that by himself and it was quite unbelievable, we never expected anything like that. I don’t think he’s ever shown that sort of ability, but he’s shown it today.

“I’ve sold Wilma’s Mate and kept this one, she had a lovely foal on her when I sold her, but you cant race too many horses on the pension,” he laughed.

Wilma’s Mate is now owned by Graham Beirne and has since produced a Love You yearling filly and is carrying a foal by another French champion in Orlando Vici.

She has the distinction among her glittering CV as a race mare and now broodmare of providing Tactical Landing with his first New Zealand winner. The Southwind Farms product has only produced 8 foals in his first crop, with half of them already appearing in public. The Hambeltonian winning sire of 2023 has a bright future ahead of him, so too his first New Zealand winner.

For complete race results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink