The Pegasus Spur mare Bonny Reece won the qualifying heat for trotters over 2200 metres at Ascot Park today. The winning margin was a nose from Make My Day.
Bonny Reece, trained and driven by Clark Barron,is out of the Sundon mare Pure Thrill which is a full sister to Makarewa Jake the winner of seven races.
The winning time of 2-57.1 was 7.6 seconds inside the required qualifying time.
The well bred filly Delightful Deal show a bit of class in winning her qualifying mobile heat by six lengths. She's out of the five win Julius Caesar mare Deal On The Day.
Delightful Deal winning by six lengths at Ascot Park today – Photo Bruce Stewart
Deal On The Day is a half sister to Best Deal Yet (9 New Zealand wins) and Awesum Teddy (10 wins). Delightful Deal is owned by Marty Fairbairn and is trained by Nathan Williamson. Her winning time for the 2200 metre mobile was 2-47.7 – over 7 seconds inside the required qualifying time. Harrydahorse (Panspacificflight – Millwood Salli) was second in 2-48.5.
Please Shuddup by Auckland Reactor looked promising when he won his 2200 metre mobile qualifying heat by a length and a half. He ran the distance in 2-47.5 – last 800 metres in 57.2 and 400 metres in 28.2. Franco Santino made ground late to run second with another seven and a half lengths back to High Line.
"He's still got a bit to learn but he can run. He's got a lovely nature and is a good eater – just what makes a good horse. He's above average," said trainer Murray Brown about Please Shuddup.
Please Shuddup on the inside beating a fast finishing Franco Santino – Photo Bruce Stewart.
Thatswhatisaid trained by Kirk Larsen won the non-winners mobile heat by a length and a half from Wokalup. His time for the 2200 metres was 2-48.7. He started once last season as a two year old in the Sapling Stakes at Ashburton running fifth in 1-56.4.
"We'll probably go to the Northern Southland meeting. He a pretty laid-back horse and he's hard to get a line on but he goes better when you take him off the place. He paid up for the sires (Sires Stakes Series). Whether he's good enough I don't know. We'll let him do the talking," said Thatswhatisaid's trainer Kirk Larsen.
In the final heat of the day a new addition to Nathan Williamson's barn Lady Of The Moment beat stablemate Pegarose by half a length. Lady Of The Moment, which had a big lead for most of the heat, is by Majestic Son and is closely related to Take A Moment (39 wins). Pegarose which has won two of her three starts hasn't been to the races since May 2016.
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing