Ultimate result for filly

Three year old harness racing filly Ultimate Cullect (Ultimate Machete) won her fourth race in a row at the Winton meeting today (Jun. 29).

Driver Jonny Cox took the Brett Gray trained three year old straight to the top from her wide gate and she was too tough, winning by a length from Sweethomealabama. The winning time for the mile was 1-56.1.

ULTIMATE CULLECT REPLAY

“Jonny said she was sharper than last week. She was a bit lost in front last week,” Gray said.

It’s quite rare these days for horses to win four straight, and progress through the grades so quickly.

“She showed potential, but it’s not easy to win four in a row. She’s just so honest and very clean winded.”

Formerly owned by the Phillips family of Central Southland, she was sold two days ago to Australians Merv and Meg Butterworth and Gray says she’s likely to perform in Australia in the future.

“She’s too high in the grades. She’s now in the Country Cup class so it’s too tough.”

Ultimate Cullect was bred by Peter O’Brien from Freedom Ridge Limited of Tokonui and is out of Lady Go Cullect.

“The mare was part of a reduction sale,” said Brodie Phillips. “She was gifted to us in foal to Ultimate Machete.”

The resulting foal Ultimate Cullect, was pre-trained by Ox McEwan at his Te Anau base before being sent to the Gray stable. She had two trials and three workouts before she debuted at Winton in March, finishing sixth.

“She just keeps improving and taking the next step,” Phillips said.

The Phillips syndicate is made up of Brodie, his parents John and Kerry Phillips, his brother Shane, his partner Anita Cunningham and his uncles Barry and Murray Phillips.

Although Ultimate Cullect has been sold, the syndicate still has a few horses coming through the system, including a Captain Crunch yearling colt out of Shimma (Mach Three) leased from Simon Pulley and a Marcoola filly out of Streaming Sunbeam.

Brodie and John run Phillips Horse Transport, carting horses between Southland and Christchurch.

“We’re consistent through the whole year. Every Wednesday I head to Christchurch and on Thursday I head home. We have a nine horse truck and a three horse trailer. It’s a custom built truck and it’s all stainless steel and plastic with two doors on the side and a door at the back. We don’t do any advertising or social media. It’s just all word of mouth.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink