Wow it was one of those days!
Southland horses went to Addington on Show Day and cleaned up – winning four races.
Sure one was always going to be in the South Of the Waitaki race for horses south of the Waitaki River which Bettor Ops duly won. And we knew Captain Dolmio had a very good chance at winning his race after his run on the first day.
But who would have thought Golden Gate and long shot Luciano would add to the tally at long odds?
The golden run started with the Kirk Larsen trained Bettor Ops winning the Macca Lodge South Of The Waitaki Mobile Pace.
He was taken back from his barrier five draw when a strong pace was set up front.
“Four of the horses inside of me had led at their last start and I thought there would be a fair bit of fireworks so I was hoping that they went hard early,” said Larsen.
The leaders started to come back to the field in the last 500 metres as some began to feel the pinch.
“Down the back I was trying to flush Clark out (Clark Barron driving Rakarolla). I thought he might have got going a bit earlier. When they did go that's when Flashing On broke and the others got away from us a bit. I thought s…. have we got enough time to pick them up?”
Bettor Ops which is owned by father and son Sydneysiders Reg and David Turner ran down a game Rakarolla to win by a head. Rakarolla who was having his first start since February was as impressive as the winner.
“He’s gone huge considering it’s his first run. I’m lucky to have had a couple of runs under my belt,” said Larsen on the run of the second horse.
Bettor Ops was having his eighth start and after winning at Gore Larsen was keen to start him at Addington.
“I thought he would be suited by the big track. He hasn’t had very many starts and he’s gone through the grades pretty quick so rather than win an $8,000 race at home we looked at getting a good stake like today.
He picked up $15,900 for his win.
Larsen said Bettor Ops has really developed this season and is starting to grow up and race accordingly.
“As a three year old he was a big awkward bugger and he’s taken a lot of making to get where he’s at. He’s starting to do things right and I noticed that this year he was starting to develop a bit of speed which he didn’t have earlier on.”
The Turners weren’t on-course today but they are great fans of New Zealand bloodstock, winning lots of races with Atitagain. Reg was part of the Dominator syndicate which also owned Late Bid (1995 Australian Derby winner) and Seelster Sam, and they also had a share in Franco Nepia.
“Basically they wanted to buy horses until they had one good enough to race and enjoy. I think they’ll be pretty happy to race him for a bit yet.”
Larsen is not getting carried away, preferring to give the gelding more ring craft.
“He’s a C3 horse now so it won't be easy. We’ll bring him home and freshen him up and look for a race for him. He’s only had eight starts. He stepped away from the stand at the workouts and he was pretty good. If we can play around with him and get him a bit more seasoned we may look at the Country Cups after Christmas.”
In the next race Gore trainer John Ryan notched up a career highlight winning his first race as a trainer at Addington.
His nine year old Earl mare Golden Gate broke a New Zealand mares record when she won the Peninsular Beachfront Resort ‘Mooloolaba' Handicap Trot.
Golden Gate Photo by Bruce Stewart
“She might be nine years old but she’s still learning the game,” he said.
It wasn’t the mare's first trip to the mecca of New Zealand harness racing – she was on the track last month.
“I came to Christchurch a month ago and she didn’t travel that well. In her race she went away and then galloped after about 150 metres. This time I brought another horse with her and this trip has been the making of her.”
Golden Gate qualified as a five year old at Gore in August 2012 winning her first race at Winton in December 2013 as a six year old.
In today's race she was driven inch perfect by leading junior reinsman Rory McIlwrick who had her in the one one and ready to pounce when the field turned into the home straight. She beat Hey Yo by three quarters of a length.
Her late start is due to being injured as a young horse.
“She had a shaft go through her neck and she nearly died. She was tied up to the wall at the stable and another horse bolted off the track without the driver and went between her and the wall and the sulky shaft went into her neck. It took her ages to get over that and she was very claustraphobic after that.”
The time of 3-16.4 is a new national record for mares over 2600 metres. The previous record of 3-16.7 was jointly held by Habibti (10/10/2104) and Kincaslough (03/10/2014).
Although he’s not getting too far ahead of himself Ryan is considering a trip to Auckland at some stage.
“She works better the opposite way around. I’ve been working her with pacers all the time and she was starting to hang so I started to work her on her own the other way round. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how she’s been handling it. I don’t think too much ahead as I haven’t had a decent enough horse but I may go up there sometime and test the water.”
Ryan who is recently retired after a lifetime in the meat industry is no stranger to Addington, having driven horses there which were trained by his father William.
One of those was Josephus who didn't win at Addington but ran fourth in the 1978 New Zealand Trotting Championship behind Nigel Craig, fifth in the 1978 Ordeal Cup and fifth in the 1979 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final won by No Response. He also drove Lord Logan at Addington on a number of occasions.
Back to the present, Golden Gate was initially nominated for The Dominion Handicap but Ryan decided to go for the easier option.
“She has always gone good over two miles. She was third to Harriet Of Mot in a Group Three race. I probably could have started her in the Dominion and she wouldn't have disgraced herself but you’ve got to get the run like she did today.”
He’s now trained the winners of 19 races, 9 of those having been with Golden Gate who is now an open class trotter.
Following on from Golden Gate's success today was the Wyndham trained Luciano who's caused a blowout at this year’s Cup Week, winning the $32,000 Show Day Futurity Mobile Pace.
He paid $91.10 to win and $16.80 for a place.
Driven by Zac Butcher the Bettor’s Delight gelding settled at the tail of the field early on. He then got into the three wide train. At the top of the straight Butcher pulled him out and he came resolutely down the outside to nab the favourite by half a head. They ran the 2600 metre mobile in 3-11.0 a mile rate of 1-58.1.
Trained by Brendon McLellan and owned by his wife Megan, he's the first foal out of the Pacific Rocket mare Lucy Legacy which won seven races.
He has a liking for Addington where he's recorded four of his five wins.
Next Southland winner was Gore trained pacer Captain Dolmio.
He was backing up from Cup Day when he ran second. In that great run he lead the field and set up Southland bred Mr Mojito to win in record breaking time.
Captain Dolmio photo by Bruce Stewart
“We were a bit worried after the first day. He was a bit tired but he bounced back,” said trainer Matt Brinsdon.
Today Captain Dolmio began brilliantly from the 20 metre mark and was taken forward by driver John Dunn, settling fifth on the inside running line. With 2100 metres to go Dunn took him off the inside, progressed forward and was in front at the 1800.
“It wasn’t the plan to go to the front. We were going to have a quiet run.”
On straightening Dunn let him go and he won easily by two and a quarter lengths from Mighty Flying Major.
“I’ve just been down to see him and he’s as good as gold,” Brinsdon said after the run.
Raced by the Captain Dolmio Syndicate the Grinfromeartoear gelding was being considered for a campaign in Auckland but Brinsdon would love to win his hometown Cup.
“We’ve just had a talk to Robert and John and we don’t think he might be as good that way around so he won’t race up there at Christmas. We’ll come home and aim for the Gore, Invercargill and Northern Southland Cups.”
Bruce Stewart
Southland harness racing