White has great strike rate in Southland

Temuka harness racing trainer Brent White likes racing horses in Southland.
 
He's been a regular visitor to the province over the years and recorded his biggest 'southern' win last season when quality mare Sell A Bit won the Southern Belle Speed Series in race record time at Winton.
 
His latest winner at Gore Raceway today was Shards Halo – an American Ideal mare out of You're So Hot which was bred in the province by Debbie and Mark Smith, breeders of last months yearling sales topper Mach Shard.
 
Today she was having her third start for White after starting her career with Greg Payne.    
"The owner formed a syndicate before Christmas made up of people from Canterbury and Nelson."

"They asked me to train her."

"I've had her for about three to four months," said White. 
 
Since taking over her training the mare has been in the money and according to White has been unlucky not to have won a race before today. 
 
"She been a certainty beat the last two times."

"At Forbury she was the hot pot and Stephen (regular driver Stephen McNally) got buried five back on the fence. "

"He launched her down the outside and she got home in 26. 2 and at Addington the other night she got crossed and got out late and ran third."

"Getting a bit of place money isn't the worst though."
 
White says he hasn't changed too much but has just concentrated on keeping Shards Halo happy. 
 
"She seems pretty happy in herself."

"We don't do a lot of work with her and we just try to keep her happy really."

"That's what we do with all our fillies and mares and vary their work a bit."

"She used to get up and pull."

"We've worked on that and she's just got better and better as we've gone along."

"She's got some speed and is nice to have around the place." 
 
White's talented trotter Trouble Rieu was also supposed to make the trip.
 
"He went awful last weekend at Addington."

"We pulled bloods off him during the week and they were awful so he didn't make the trip.

"She (Shard Halo) was just going to be another drive for Stephen."

"But it didn't matter where she was going to go she was going to win a maiden race pretty soon."

"We're racing for $7,500 here today and next Thursday at Addington they're racing for $6,500."

"I thought that if we picked up one today we may go to Waikouaiti in fourteen days where there's a penalty free race for invited drivers."
 
So we can expect to see more of the white colours in the south in the future? 
 
"If I don't come down I send them down to Alister Black."

"He looks after them and does a good job."

"I like the Southland style of racing."

"It's about putting your horse in the right company."

"Now that my partner and I have bought a property in Temuka it's a bit closer." 
 
The Gore grass surface was lightning fast today and track records broken were:
 
Titan Banner –  3-27-6 for the 2600 metre stand beating stablemates Belkmyster's previous record of 3-28.7

Ottawa –  3-33.0 – a new track record for trotters over 2600 metres. Dickey Bill was the holder of the previous record of 3-34.6 (1976).

Vera's Delight –  2-21-5 a new mares and open record for the 1800 metre mobile.

Fiery Ferret –  2-19.4 a new three year old colts and geldings record for 1800 metres mobile.

The previous record of 2-23.7 was recorded at this meeting by Smithy last season.

Tartan Trilogy –  2-17.5 for the 1800 metres mobile and new open track record for colts and gelding.            

Bruce Stewart  – Southland Harness Racing  –  Check site here