Williams scaling down

Dunedin harness racing breeder Lex Williams is scaling down his breeding operation.

“I’ve got a bit disillusioned with the industry. The future of breeding is uneconomic. My numbers are too high and I’ve had to get other people to do my horses. I’ve got eight weanlings that I’m working with at the moment,” he said.

He’s putting four of his trotting mares plus a yearling on the Gavelhouse website and is considering selling his only pacing brood mare Flying Heathers One (Bettor’s Delight).

The four mares going up for auction are Samanthas Moon (One Over Da Moon), Katieellen Castleton (Quite Easy), Bev’s K One (Love You) and Light Of Da Moon (One Over Da Moon).

“There’s no private sale for them for some reason. I just have to think about what I’m saving, not what I’m getting for them.”

Samanthas Moon is a four win mare that’s had just one foal, a weanling colt by En Solitaire. Whilst Katieellen Castleton won one race in just eleven starts. At stud he’s left Paige, (One Over Da Moon) the winner of nine for Bruce Negus.

Bev’s K One is a two win mare who has Pride Of Petite (35 wins) as her third dam, while Light Of Da Moon won five races for Robbie Holmes.

“I’m selling her (Light Of Da Moon) to wind up a syndicate.”

He’s also putting Classic Skye, a filly by Classic Connection (Love You) out of One Over Da Skye on Gavelhouse. One Over Da Skye won five races and is a daughter of One Over Kenny.

“She’s the one I had to withdraw from the sales. I’m going to try her (on-line), but I want a bit of money for her.”

Williams is however keeping his ‘Kenny’ breed, including One Over Da Skye (Majestic Son), One Over Da Stars (Love You), One Over Da Rainbow (En Solitaire) and One Over Kenny (Sundon) as well as Oneamy Vici (Orlando Vici) which is an unraced eight year old mare and a half-sister to Cracker Hill (7 wins).

“This will be the last foal (out of Oneamy Vici) for me. She’s in foal to King Of The North.”

In February he’ll be taking just two yearlings to the NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Christchurch; a Timoko – One Over Da Stars colt and a Sweet Lou filly out of Flying Heathers One.

“The sales of trotters is just disastrous. That side of the industry is not too flash at all. I’m better to try and sell them privately.”

This could also be the last season at stud in New Zealand for William’s stallion One Over Da Moon.

“He’s still standing at Wai Eyre. We’ve put his stud fee down to $1,500 to see whether we can get a few more mares. If I could find somewhere in Australia I would probably do better. That’s another thing to look at down the track. I’ll do this season and then decide what the future is for him.”

The matriarch of the ‘Kenny’ family, twenty two year old mare One Over Kenny which won thirty two races and over $1 million, has been difficult to get in foal in recent years. Her last foal Golden Solitaire (En Solitaire) was born in 2021 and was sold to Diamond Racing at the 2023 sales for $85,000.

“We’ll be trying to take an embryo from her this coming season. We’ve had no luck for the last couple of seasons.”

Williams says if they’re successful the embryo will be matched with the fresh semen of Majestic Son.

Meanwhile William’s grand mare Fleet’s Pocket (In the Pocket) has officially retired.

She’s left 18 foals of racing age, 16 of which have qualified and 14 have won 136 races between them.

Her best performers on the racetrack have been Mighty Flying Thomas (21), Mighty Flying Deal (21) and Mighty Flying Art (20).

She still has two foals racing in New Zealand – Mightyflyin Supastar (Art Major) which has won twice from eight starts for Regan Todd, and Mighty Flying Lou (Sweet Lou) the winner of one of his three starts for Laurence Hanrahan.

Her last foal Mighty Flyin Miki, (Always B Miki) has had one prep for Burnham trainer Mark Jones.

“He’s a beautiful looking animal and we’re really excited about him. Mark tells me he’ll make a two year old.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink