Southland produced it best crop of three year old colts and geldings for some time this season with plenty to like about the top stakes winners in this group.
Duke Of Wellington was the standout. He qualified at the end of October last year and started ten times, never running out of the money. He won five races and ended up winning in the $45,000 Group Two Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes. His season's earnings were $54,280, the highest stakes earner (any age or gait) to be trained in Southland.
The next best three year old stakes wise was the Nathan Williamson trained Franco Santino which currently sits on four wins from eight starts and earnings of $29,220.
Branxholme trainer Alister Black produced three nice three year olds as well with Kilowatt Kid leading the trio recording three wins from ten starts and earning his owners Lindsay and Ian Thomson $27,430.
They also own Vintage Cheddar which won two of it's seven starts and $18,390.
Lawrence, also owned by the Thomsons, was Black's other nice three year old. He won twice in ten starts and earned $17,320.
Other handy three year olds in the south this season were: Mighty Conqueror which won three of his four starts and earned $20,000, Ardtoo which won twice and banked $13,400 and Convair Hustler which earned $13,160 including one win.
Interestingly Franco Santino, Ardtoo, Convair Hustler, Kilowatt Kid and Mighty Conqueror all won a final of the Nugget Series run in Southland this season. The series was a new initiative with each of the ten finals carrying a stake of $12,000. The Northern Southland Trotting Club also held a $20,000 Super Nuggets Final which included all the early Nuggets winners. This was won by Kilowatt Kid.
Three year olds won ten of the eleven Nuggets Finals (including the Super Nugget) with colts and geldings winning eight. Two three year old fillies Dunrobin and Born To Boogie, won the last two finals. The odd one out age wise was four year old Zealand Star which won it's final at Winton in February.
The Nuggets proved a great stakes springboard for Southerners wanting to gain entry into the Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes with nine of the twelve runners this year coming from the province. Entry to the Supremacy is gained through stakes won in Southland during the season.
Wouldn't it be great if Southland was to put on a four year race next season to cater for these quality horses.
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing