The first harness racing trials of the calendar year in the Canterbury region were held at Rangiora Raceway yesterday and while we have already covered a couple of the runners that really impressed us, several others showed above average potential and we cover those here
* Regal Love
A Love You two year old trotter that impressed greatly in winning her first start off her All Stars home in a manner that suggested a bright future.
She came from off the pace with a real flourish and took a while to pull up post the finishing line.
A half sister to the outstanding age group trotters in Twentyten ($235,834) and High Gait ($151,451), she looks to have inherited all the family ability and is held in high regard by the All Star barn.
* One Over Da Stars
Another Love You two year old trotter who fought on for a close third to Regal Love after doing all the work in front.
The third foal from the millionaire trotter One Over Kenny ($1,098,007), One Over The Stars is a half sister to another standout age group trotter in One Over Da Moon 1:55.5 ($274,229)
Another All Stars trainee who is also held in high regard and will be seen in the big juvenile trots later in the season barring injury.
* Custodian
Impressed with a big late finish to run Regal Love close and adds to the considerable depth becoming apparent in the two year old trotting division in Canterbury this season.
A son of the very successful North American trotting stallion Muscle Mass, Custodian also has the bloodlines to match his show of ability yesterday.
He is from a race winning daughter of Armbro Invasion in Maia who is a half sister to the former Southern Star winner in Vulcan 1:55.9($1,025,331) and just adds to the confusing picture among the juvenile trotters in Canterbury.
* Kiwi Bloke
Like all Malcolm Shinn trainees, Kiwi Bloke has impeccable manners and is starting to wrack up some smart performances at the trials and is held in very high regard by the stable.
A son of Courage Under Fire, he was purchased out of the 2015 New Zealand Premier sale at Christchurch for the tidy sum of $42,500.
The first foal from the Falcon Seelster mare A Good Kiwi Chick who won four of her nine lifetime starts before injury sent her to the broodmare barn.
A Good Kiwi Chick is a half sister to the champion racemare Kiwi Ingenuity 1:52.1 ($523,200) and Kiwi Bloke looks to have inherited a lot of the family ability.
* Buster Brady
Showed he had trained on in great fashion after his smart debut win at Methven when he gave a nice field of C1 pacers a spanking in his trial heat.
Well back early for driver Jimmy Curtin, Buster Brady got over the top of them late in fine style and looks as though he could make it two from two for trainer Kyle Austin when next lined up.
The son of Real Desire seemed to handle the closing sectionals of 56.2 and 28.2 with ease and looks a horse to follow.
* Omar Sharif
Put his disappointing last start run at Addington behind him with an emphatic 2 1/4 victory over some handy pacers in his heat
The Brian OMeara trained son of Shark Gesture had looked very promising prior to his last start and looks to be back on track going by the effort yesterday.
In the hands of Bob Butt, Omar strolled home in 56.7 and 28 and should be hard to beat where ever he next lines up.
* The three star trialists class wise at Rangiora in Waikiki Beach, Dream About Me and Hug The Wind all looked very forward to resume and had a quiet run over 2000 metres for horses of there class and their runs pleased the All star barn and were a nice pipe opener for the season for the trio
Dream About Me and Waikiki Beach head to Australia next Wednesday and race two days later while Hug The Wind is being aimed at next Friday's Addington meeting.
Harnesslink Media