Breeding doesn't always count for everything but when Louie won the Regent Car Court Pace it didn't surprise breeding buffs.
The Christian Cullen four year old is impeccably bred being out of the eleven win Holmes Hanover mare Chloe Hanover. He had shown promise in a limited harness racing career for Wayne Adams before transferring to Tony Stratford's Gore stable earlier this year.
“He’s a well mannered horse that’s good to do anything with. We’re just taking over from the good job that Wayne did. I think they had a few problems with him cross firing. I don’t think you ever correct a cross firer but you can help them and we’ve possibly done that,” said Stratford.
He was having his second run for the Stratford stable having finished fifth at Winton earlier this month.
“He seems to be pacing good. Dexter was pleased with the way be paced at Winton and Blair said he was very nice today.”
Driver Blair Orange took the gelding to the lead before handing up to Ideal Conquest with a lap to run. With 300 metres to run he pulled Louie off the back of a tiring Ideal Conquest and held on under a strong drive to beat one of the outsiders Matai Valour by half a length.
Louie is owned by Alan and Liz Sloan of Invercargill and their two daughters. He was bought at the Sale of the Stars for $52,000.
Meanwhile promising two year old trotter War Admiral also in the Stratford barn has been turned out for the season.
“They just went a bit quick that day we lined up. They ran the first 800 from a stand in 64 seconds and being a two year old he just was not used to that. He threw a shoe as well.”
Another promising maiden pacer from the stable The Night Hawk who was a race rival to Louie, was scratched this morning.
“He had a puffy leg so I had to scratch him. He’s a really nice horse and he would have been pretty hard to beat if he was in that race today.”
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing