The 3-year-old trotting filly Zoey’s Gift qualified 15 sec under the required time at Oamaru on Saturday. Zoey’s Gift is trained at Oamaru by Phil Williamson for his wife Bev, the breeder.
Zoey’s Gift is a filly by Muscles Yankee from Jasmyn’s Gift, who numbered the 2006 New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All among her 17 wins. The first foal of Jasmyn’s Gift, Le Lievre’s Gift (by The Pres) has won four races, the first from the Williamson stable and the other three for Jim Curtin. Zoey’s Gift is the third foal of Jasmyn’s Gift.
Zoey’s Gift ran the 2500m in 3.17 in her qualifying test and held out stablemate Davey Mac by a neck. Davey Mac, is a 4-year-old by Sundon from Little Contessa and thus a brother to Irish Whisper (11 wins) and Heard The Whisper (six).
Geoff Knight, the Roxburgh trainer, will be appointed vice-president of the Forbury Park Trotting Club at the annual meeting. The position has been vacant since Daryl Trainor resigned. Gerald Cayford will return as president and Nick Wells is a newcomer to the committee. Knight has been a member of the committee of the Forbury Park club and representative on the board of management. He is vice-president of the Roxburgh club.
Ken Dempster is standing down this month as accountant for the Forbury Park club. Lisa Butler, formerly with Gallop South, has been appointed finance manager.
Tayler Strong