SA Harness Highlights - December 8, 2007

Maybe Third Time Lucky for Hill

For the third time in four years, Penfield reinsman Wayne Hill will represent South Australia at the Australasian Young Drivers Championship, to be conducted during the 2008 Watpac Inter Dominion Carnival in Victoria next year.

Hill earned his right to wear the state colours for a third time after finishing 20 wins ahead of his sister Danielle in the SA Young Drivers premiership during the 2006-2007 season. Danielle Hill is the only other South Australian driver to attend the Young Drivers Championship in the past four years.

The Australasian Young Drivers Championship is fought out by 10 of the best junior reinsman under the age of 25, with a representative from each state of Australia, three from New Zealand plus the defending Champion. Wayne Hill turned 25 last week however he is still eligible to compete as he was below the required age at the start of the racing season.

Amazingly Tasmania has been the most successful state in the Championship since its inception under the current format in 1993. Apple Isle reinsman have won the title on five occasions, including three of the last five years.

No South Australian has finished at the top of the rankings, with Danielle Hill (2006) and Gary Buckley (2001) getting the closest by both finishing as the runner-up. Wayne Hill will be hoping to change that and build on his previous placings of ninth (2005) and eighth (2007).

It is only the second time the Australasian Young Drivers Championship has been conducted in Victoria, although they did hold the initial heats of the Tasmanian Series in 2006.

The 2008 Championship will be held between February 20 and 23 at Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo and Moonee Valley.

 

Mermaid Stakes Goes So Deep

Kiwi-bred filly So Deep did all the work in the 2007 Ridley Agri-Products Mermaid Stakes and was still too good for her rivals, winning by eight metres in a rate of 2:01.2 to give driver David Harding his first win in the race.

So Deep was purchased by Dr Richard Noble from her breeders Alabar New Zealand, prior to a heat of the two-year-old fillies Australasian Breeders Crown in July and sent to Globe Derby trainer Les Harding. She subsequently finished a disappointing ninth after pulling hard in the race and was set for a spell.

The daughter of Safely Kept, out of In The Pocket mare Heel On, had impressed with two trial victories in the lead up to last Saturday nights feature by beating a couple of her highly fancied rivals and punters didn’t miss the trial form by installing her as an odds-on favourite.

From barrier six David Harding edged forward to sit outside the in-form leader Art For The Heart, and allowed So Deep to show her class by edging to the lead in the back straight on the last occasion and holding off a challenge from Fragments in the run home.

Driver Mark Billinger and his trainer-father Val were searching for back-to-back Mermaid Stakes victories with reigning South Australian Horse of the Year Same Action, but the filly had to settle for fourth place after getting back in the field.

So Deep might have only won two races now but her stakes have ticked past the $30,000 mark due to her first win in New Zealand being in the listed Delightful Lady Classic.

The SA Oaks now looks a likely target in the New Year.

 

Locals – and Former Locals - Shine At The Valley

Conte De Cristo won his first clash with full-brother Conte Centovalli at Moonee Valley on Saturday night, however the Carbone-Sergi trained gelding had to be content with second place.

Conte De Cristo was driven well by leading junior reinsman Nathan Jack in his first steer of the horse, getting on the back of the leader and favourite Karlsruhe, however they couldn’t catch him in the home straight and finished a 2.5 metre runner-up.

Earlier in the night on the same card Our Mateship had not luck in finishing tenth for his Roseworthy trainer Rob Caruso. Quantum Kiwi won the event but Unique Style was an eye-catching third for former Two Wells horseman Scott Ewen who has recently taken a position with the Lance Justice stable.

Another South Australian ex-pat in former Gawler River trainer Greg Norman also shone at Victoria’s harness racing headquarters when he put the polish on Sportivo for a third-up victory in the hands of legendary reinsman Brian Gath.

 

Consistent Night for Harvey

Kadina trainer-driver Leah Harvey enjoyed a successful night at Port Pirie on Friday, driving a winner, training a quinella and placing in two others. In fact the only time Harvey was not in the placings was aboard the Bill Atkinson-trained Tell No Tales which finished fourth. 

Harvey finished second in the first event on the Jayson Adams trained Atom Again and third in the second race on Contrarymary Lombo, trained by herself.

She was in the winners circle in the fourth event on the card aboard the Anne Rogers trained Fleetwoodjazz. It was the seven-year-old geldings first start since March and he showed great heart to find the line first.

Harvey then trained a quinella in the sixth event, where she drove Pacific Lignum into second place while Hyland Zali was the victor for Kapunda reinsman Matthew Smith.

Both fillies were racing for the first time this year with the three-year-old Alabar Southern Cross Series being a long term target.

Despite piloting the odds-on favourite Lignum Twister in the final event, Harvey was forced to settle for second place behind Our Deal, but must have finished the night satisfied with the results.

 

 

---------------

Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd

 

SA Harness Highlights - December 2, 2007

Government Acts Immediately on Change

The Harness Racing South Australia Board met with its Member Clubs recently to conduct a General Meeting which served to approve changes to their Constitution. The important changes, which took six months to work through, where identified as part of the Bentley Report, which was released in May, and paves the way for some significant financial benefits to the industry over the next decade.

Mr Goodall further said “the Harness Racing Industry has shown maturity in embracing the changes and signalling a new direction for the industry.”

Changes included a shift of voting power of one vote to the South Australian Harness Racing Club (SAHRC) and one vote to the South Australian Country Harness Racing Clubs Association (SACHRCA) where previously each individual Club in SA had one vote making it a complex process to enforce change.

The HRSA Board in future will have four Independent Members and two Industry Members.

The HRSA Board met again late last week to discuss the announcement by Racing Minister Michael Wright, that he was delivering on his promise to the Racing Industry with much needed tax relief.

Chairman, Grant Goodall said that "his Board was delighted with the Minister’s announcement and HRSA could now plan for the future with more certainty in its next business plan cycle."

"This will surely give Harness Racing SA a more stable base to work from and create a feeling of security and expectation for the South Australian Harness Racing Industry into the future that it hasn’t seen for some time," he said

Based on current TAB distribution percentages the Harness Racing Industry would receive approximately $450,000 from July 2008 increasing to an expected $1,300,000 by 2012 with the funds earmarked to go directly back into the industry participants

“This good news was timely as our industry is suffering greatly from the affects of the EI outbreak.

"This gives us great hope that when we get through the next few months we can rebuild our losses quickly.

"Harness Racing in SA had only just turned the corner putting in its best financial performance in 8 years, announcing the first stake-money increases in 8 years and releasing a 2 year plan off the highs of one of the best Inter Dominions in recent times - EI has been a cruel blow.

"The timing of the tax relief announcement could not have come at a better time to get us back on track, and for that I applaud the Minister," Mr Goodall said.

 

Raider Steals Italian Cup

A well-timed raid by leading Victorian trainer Andy Gath with former West Australian pacer Jay Pees Ruler landed the 2007 Access Civil Italian Cup in front of a bumper crowd at Globe Derby Park last Saturday night.

It is fair to say Jay Pees Ruler has not set the world on fire since arriving in Victoria earlier this year, winning just one of his seven starts, after scoring at 11 of his 30 attempts in WA.

Gath sent his charge to SA last weekend with former leading Port Pirie horseman Peter Thompson whose suggestion it was that the race looked a suitable target for the six-year-old entire who is not quite up to the top-line Victorian pacers at this stage of his career.

Jay Pees Ruler drew ideally in barrier two and with the services on premier reinsman David Harding looked hard to beat if he found the front.

And find the front he did, with Harding rating him through a comfortable middle section before scorching home to record a 1:57.6 mile which earned him a $500 bonus, but was 1.5 seconds outside the class record and well outside Be Good Johnny’s track record.

 

Monte Upstages Conte

Conte De Cristo was never a factor in the Access Civil Italian Cup last Saturday, due in most part to the barrier draw and speed off the front line forcing him to go back early and wide late.

However the Golden Grove training partnership of Joe Carbone and Peter Sergi had something to smile about in the very next race when Monterosso won his Australian debut with consummate ease.

Monterosso, a full-brother to Conte De Cristo, was a short-priced favourite after his trouble-free trial win the previous week and despite working hard in the early stages of the race was never pressured in winning by 10-metres.

The five-year-old gelding bears a striking resemblance to his older brother, with the notable exception being the way he dropped the bit and cruised through the middle sections of the race, opposed to Conte’s habit of pulling fiercely early in his Australian career.

 

Four’ Makes Three for Harding

Globe Derby reinsman David Harding edged out Jock Dunlop in the quest for drivers honours at last Saturday night’s Italian Cup meeting at Globe Derby Park.

Dunlop, also from Globe Derby, won the first and last races on the eight event card however Harding claimed the night with a winning treble that included a feature race double with Jay Pees Ruler in the Access Civil Italian Cup and Four Carat in the Caffe Primo Salisbury Rome Trotting Cup.

After leading all the way in the Italian Cup, Harding used a similar tactic in the squaregaiters feature by taking Four Carat to the lead early in the event before holding off a determined challenge from Rovers Return in the home straight to win by a head.

Harding’s treble was completed in race seven with Prez remaining undefeated from three lifetime starts in easily accounting for his fellow three-year-olds.

 

---------------

Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd

SA Harness Highlights - 26 November 2007

Surgery Continues Amazing Northern Record

Two Wells trainer-driver Gary Buckley re-ignited an unimpressive season for his five-year-old mare Surgery by making the trip to Port Pirie last Friday night.

Surgery started the season with an honest record of 10 wins and 14 placings from 42 starts, but in four starts since September, all at Globe Derby Park, had finished no better than fifth.

The first meeting of the year at Port Pirie’s Phoenix Park came about just in time for the daughter of Armbro Operative, who has an outstanding record at the northern circuit. In 10 starts there prior to last weekend, Surgery has won six times and finished runner-up at the other four.

The mare obviously appreciates the wide-open spaces of the Port Pirie track and kept her record intact with a two-metre victory in the final event on the program.

Buckley registered a running-double of sorts by winning the first race at Globe Derby Park the following night with Debutante Ball. Aided by the poor manners of favourite Art And Soul, Debutante Ball led throughout for a three-metre victory.

 

Huge Crowds Ahead of Schedule

The recent warm weather and onset of daylight saving has encouraged big crowds to attend Globe Derby Park’s Saturday night meetings in the past month.

With the Paceway Restaurant enjoying their busiest period of the year, many families have also seized on the opportunity to take in the exciting harness racing action in the comfortable summer conditions.

Eskys, deckchairs and kids have plentiful on the expansive lawns, well ahead of the usual influx of fans over the traditional Christmas-Summer Carnival period later in the year.

 

Mighty Run by Mighty Aslan

The Shane Young-trained and Gina Bell-driven Mighty Aslan showed his class at Globe Derby Park last Saturday night with a ‘mighty’ performance.

Parked three-wide for the entire trip, the eight-year-old gelding had the audacity to kick clear of his rivals in the home straight to register a 1.5-metre victory in a rate of 1:59.1 which was just 0.3 seconds outside his career best.

Mighty Aslan appreciated the drop in class from his last start where he was far from disgraced with a ninth placing in a Moonee Valley stand start event. Bell also drove the veteran of 103 races like he was the best horse in the race and didn’t panic when stranded wide on the track.

Mighty Aslan returned to SA recently after 12 months in Western Australia and his form has steadily improved under Shane Young’s care which culminated in last weekend’s super effort.

 

Access Civil Italian Cup Night

South Australia’s fast class pacers will step onto the Globe Derby Park track this Saturday to contest a new look Italian Cup night.

The fixture has regularly been held around the New Year period, but this year has been switched back to the early December in a move to revive what used to be one of South Australian harness racing’s biggest nights.

The honour roll includes names such as Bonamax, Carvils Choice, Keep It Up, Ryans Day and Friends For Life, with last years winner Free Loader embarking on a successful Victorian campaign following his Italian Cup win.

In recent years the event has been lost in the spotlight of the Group 1 South Australian Cup, but will create it’s own mark on the calendar this year thanks to the support of Access Civil along with Access Aluminium and Glass Pty Ltd.

Access Civil will be the naming rights sponsors for the 2007 Italian Cup and Access Aluminium and Glass will have their name on a support race, while Caffe Primo at Salisbury have also jumped onboard to sponsor the co-feature Rome Trotting Cup.

The lone local contender at this years SA Inter Dominion, Conte De Cristo, will no doubt be the horse to beat in the Access Civil Italian Cup. The big striding seven-year-old enjoyed a week off from the track in preparation for the event that will also reward fast times with $3500 in speed incentives.

Another Inter Dominion class pacer in Dee Dees Dream scorched the track in Conte De Cristo’s absence last Saturday night recording an effortless 17-metre victory off a sizzling 57.4 second last half. However connections are likely to miss a return effort in preference to an attempt at three consecutive City of Launceston Cups in Tasmania the following week. That is unless horse restrictions on the Apple Isle force a rethink.

Whatever the make-up of the field, the race and the entire program should showcase some sensational South Australian harness racing.

 

 

---------------

Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd

 

SA Harness Highlights - 19 November 2007

Smith Celebrates Early

Kapunda reinsman Matthew Smith celebrated his birthday a few hours early when he steered six-year-old Bizzell to the horses second successive victory at Gawler Landscaping Supplies Sportspark for fellow-Kapunda local Peta Brown.

Just a fortnight after John Hurrell partnered the gelding to an all the way Saturday night victory at Globe Derby Park, Smith used similar tactics by punching out from barrier one and leading throughout for a two-metre victory.

The win was an early birthday present for the Port Pirie-born youngster who turned 18 the following day. Smith had just one drive at Globe Derby Park on the night of his birthday, steering outsider Safe Ebony to fifth place for Toby Ryan in the last event.

Matthew Smith has now recorded three winners for the season after racking up 10 winners in each of his first two seasons in the sulky.

 

Kearney and Thuen Return to Fire Again

Return Fire survived a small mishap on Saturday night and proceeded to record his third straight victory for the Linwood-based Kearney family. At the luxurious UniTAB price of $9.30, the eight-year-old had to pass a vets examination to take his place in the field after slipping in the float on the way to the track.

The Andrew Kearney-trained gelding has dominated November, winning at every attempt this month despite being relatively unfancied on each occasion. Return Fire started at his shortest quote of $6 last week when he won his second Saturday night race for the year after winning at $12.60 eight days previous.

With 20-year-old Kearney only holding a B-Grade drivers licence and unable to drive the eight-year-old on Saturday night metropolitan meetings, experienced reinsman David Thuen has taken the reins the past two weeks.

In almost identical circumstances Thuen sat Return Fire on the back of the leader before outsprinting them in the home straight. Last week it was Just Trumps who was outgunned with an outside run, this week Precipation was overhauled with an inside dash.

The recent success of Return Fire may be due to Kearney picking up some handy training tips from Australia’s premier trainer David Hayes, for whom he has worked at Lindsay Park for nearly 12 months.

 

Caffe Primo Serve Up Trotting Feast

Italian Cup Night at Globe Derby Park on Saturday, December 1, continues to grow with another sponsor and feature event added this week by Harness Racing South Australia.

Danny Silvestri from Caffé Primo at Salisbury has jumped on board to sponsor the 'Rome Trotting Cup', a new feature race on the program.

The Caffé Primo Salisbury Rome Trotting Cup will be a T3 or better event for the best squaregaiters in the state over the testing 2645-metre journey under discretionary handicap conditions.

The $8,000 stake for event means it will compliment the $8,000 'Access Civil' Italian Cup as a co-feature on the first Saturday night in December.

 

Finally It’s Freddy

Before last Saturday night veteran pacer Freddy Rama had not won a race since April 2003 when he defeated Vanlo Yorker and The Falcon Strike in a handicap event at Gloucester Park.

Backmarker, The Falcon Strike, had just returned from a creditable fifth in the AG Hunter Cup and started an odds-on favourite. Following the defeat to Freddy Rama, The Falcon Strike went on to win a Newcastle Mile, Fremantle Pacing Cup, two Australian Pacing Championships, two WA Pacing Cups and ran second in an Inter Dominion Final on his way to banking more than $1.2 million in stakes.

Freddy Rama didn’t win another race.

That was until Two Wells trainer-driver Pat Carbone led on him from start to finish at Globe Derby Park last Saturday night breaking and four and a half year drought.

The eleven-year-old was claimed by Murray Bandick two months ago and transferred to Carbone’s stable. Freddy Rama is now a veteran of 217 starts, from which he has won 13 times and placed on a further 37 occassions.

 

Fitzy Off To A Flyer

Ahead of Port Pirie’s season opening Phoenix Park meeting this Friday night, local trainer Paul Fitzgerald got a head start with three-year-old pacers Art For The Heart and Cha Cha Charlie winning at Globe Derby Park last Monday afternoon.

Both youngsters were winners during their two-year-old seasons – Art For The Heart scoring four times and Cha Cha Charlie once – and started off their three-year-old campaigns in the best possible style.

Art For The Heart, the only racing progeny of Vicbred placegetter and Ouyen Cup winning mare Meet Me In Paris, was the first of the duo to win. With Paul Cavallaro in the cart, the filly worked hard out of the mobile before settling behind the leader, and then using the sprint lane the last time for victory.   

Fitzgerald’s purple and gold colours were back in the winners circle the very next race with Cha Cha Charlie saluting, again with Paul Cavallaro steering. A half brother to 2006 SA Horse of the Year Oztreos, Cha Cha Charlie nearly threw the race away with some erratic racing in the home straight, but held off his challengers to give Fitzgerald and Cavallaro the running double.

With the first Port Pirie meeting for the season on their front door this Friday night, both pacers look set to line up in a three-year-old event, while a rarity for Northern harness racing enthusiasts will be a trot on the program. Squaregaiters have not been seen at Port Pirie for a couple of seasons and the race should generate plenty of interest.

 

---------------

Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd

 

SA Harness Highlights - 5 November 2007

Convinced She’s A Winner

Paralowie trainer-reinsman Barry Preston pulled off one of the training performances of the year when he piloted trotting mare Shedontnosheslitle to a maiden victory at Globe Derby Park last Monday afternoon.

Despite placing at three of her four starts as a two-year-old, Shedontnosheslitle developed an inclination for breaking gait early in races, and failed to pick up another cheque in a further 18 starts for her trainer, driver and owner Peter Tidswell.

Preston, an Account Manager with Cadbury-Schweppes when not training winners, bought the talented but erratic five-year-old from Tidswell early in the season and immediately set about reforming her manners.

Preston bypassed the trials with Shedontnosheslitle and the pair made their first appearance at the track last week where Preston was quietly confident of a promising result.

The first hurdle was out of the way when she safely negotiated the start and rolled to the front. The odds-on favourite, Four Carat, settled on Preston’s back but he kept his charge rolling along in front at a genuine speed and they were never headed.

The only hiccup came within the shadows of the post, when Preston got a little anxious in the cart and Shedontnosheslitle galloped across the line.

“I thought I was driving Wrekognize,” Preston said, in reference to his veteran trotter who may have handled the vigorous driving a little better.

A subsequent protest from the David Harding, driver of second placegetter Four Carat, was dismissed and Shedontnosheslitle had officially recorded her first victory.

 

Giorgio Doubles Up

Honours went to SA Harness Racing Club vice-president Bronte Giorgio at last Friday night’s Globe Derby Park meeting, with the local horseman recording a driving double and a training double, through three different races.

Giorgio kicked off the night in style with confident winning drive – a third consective victory and fourth for the season - on five-year-old mare Art And Soul for Two Wells trainer Kevin Dempsey.

In race three on the program, Giorgio was again in the winners circle with Karamea Dreamin, another mare but this time trained by himself. It was the six-year-old’s first win since July last year and came after five placings from her first seven starts for Giorgio.

With a driving double already in the bag, Giorgio was presented with a training double when Tony Calabria piloted Burningthebreeze to an all the way victory in race five on the program.

 

Ups and Downs of Racing – Part 1

Going home with an empty float is one of the hardest things to deal with when entering horses in claiming races, however if your charge wins the race in your colours before going elsewhere it makes the task a little easier.

For those not familiar with a claiming race, it requires an owner to put a price on his horse – within the conditions of the event – and any other person can lodge a ‘claim’ for that horse and take immediate possession of the horse following the race if their claim is successful.

Exuberant Poplar entered the Barastoc Phar Lap Claiming Pace having his 44^th start for the Gawler Belt-based Shane Young and Gina Bell team since joining them in April 2006, with the nine-year-old a regular earner for the stable due to three wins and 15 placings in those 44 starts.

The veteran won a fourth race for his trainer and driver partnership of Young and Bell on Friday night at Globe Derby Park, however Exuberant Poplar was claimed from the race by a Whyalla stable.

The positives of claiming racing is it gives horses that have reached their mark the opportunity to continue racing with the trainer setting their handicap, but you just never know when your horse may be racing for someone else the following week.

 

Ups and Downs of Racing – Part 2

Dublin trainer-reinsman John Hurrell experienced the highs and lows of harness racing within 24 hours last weekend, with a tailed off last on Friday night quickly erased by an all the way victory on Saturday night.

Hurrell went to Globe Derby Park on Friday night with four-year-old gelding Don Belard, who previously had just the one infamous start when he broke in the score up and was placed out of the draw.

Despite trialling well since, Don Belard was up to the same tricks last weekend when causing a false start at the first attempt and then missing the start again at the second attempt before trailing throughout and finishing 77 metres from the winner.

However Hurrell’s disappointment only lasted 24 hours when he teamed with the Peta Brown trained Bizzell to win at Globe Derby Park the following evening. Leading all the way, Hurrell gave the six-year-old a comfortable first half before holding off Flight Edition and Sweet Chilli at the finish.

The win by Bizzell was his first since joining Brown’s Kapunda stable in the middle of the year and just his second from 25 career starts.

 

---------------

Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd

 

SA Harness Highlights - October 29, 2007

Same Action, Same Award

For the second successive season, a two-year-old star has upstaged the older pacers to claim the title of 2007 South Australian Horse of the Year.

In accepting the award part-owner Jim Smith from Globe Derby Park revealed his co-owner, neighbour and trainer Val Billinger, picked out a filly in a paddock and remarked that she moved in a similar way to his star performer Hes A Corka.

Smith and Billinger purchased the filly for the bargain price of $5,000 at the 2006 SA Standardbred Yearling Sales and named her Same Action in reference to that first sighting. Now she not only has the same action, but also has the same award as Hes A Corka, a former SA Horse of the Year.

Same Action may have been a surprise winner, having only won five races but the quality of those wins – plus four second placings - from just 10 starts was outstanding. Included in her haul was the $50,000 Southern Cross Final with a second placing in the $53,000 Graduate Pace also on her resume.

Same Action also won the SA Two-your-old of the Year award, while Vicbred winner Elysees Crest made it a fillies-double by taking out the SA Three-year-old of the Year title. Amazingly, both fillies where bred by former SAHRC President David Sharpe highlighting his impact on the local breeding industry.

The Trotter of the Year trophy was awarded to Kiwi-bred squaregaiter The Upper Crust who started last season with three straight victories and went on to win the Tooheys New Trot at Globe Derby Park on Inter Dominion Grand Final night and the Group 3 Hankook Tyres Plate at Moonee Valley on Hunter Cup day.

SA bred and owned, but Victorian-trained, trotter Sundons Pride took home the Juvenile Trotter of the Year, one of two new awards on the program, with The Juggernaut ‘claiming’ the other fresh award as the number one Claimer in the state.

The Penfield father and son team of Gary and Wayne Hill won the State Trainer of the Year and Young Driver of the Year titles respectively, with Joe Buttigieg winning the Metro Trainer, David Harding landing both driving titles by a big margin and Urjokin was awarded as the Leading State Horse throughout season 2006-2007.

Also at the awards day the Greg and Carol Lutze-owned Leica Franco was recognised as the Broodmare of the Year, and Malcolm Hann was honoured with the Nevada Smoke Achievement Award for his many decades of involvement in various aspects of the racing and transport industries.

 

Cavallaro’s First Win in Nearly Eight Years

Angle Vale trainer Neil Cavallaro could not understand the fuss people were making over his drive on Friday night aboard Diligent Moon, a three-year-old filly trained by his daughter Angela Chapman.

Despite Cavallaro being engaged for just his sixth drive in the past three seasons and Diligent Moon having her first ever race start the pair where sent out as odds-on favourites. A delayed start and false start could have unnerved the inexperienced filly, but she handle the experience like an veteran campaigner.

The fuss came about after Cavallaro and Diligent Moon won the race. A quick delve into the records showed a training-driving double with Rowan Knight and Blast Furnace at Strathalbyn in February 1999 was the last time Cavallaro had saluted the judge.

Angela Chapman revealed that Diligent Moon goes much better for her father than for her, so Neil Cavallaro better keep the colours handy for a little while longer.

 

HRSA Constitution Changes In Sight

Harness Racing SA Limited Member Clubs met on Sunday October 28 and discussed proposed changes to the company’s constitution.

After some healthy debate on key areas the meeting resolved to meet on November 25 at a Special General Meeting with a view to signing off on changes and addressing recommendations in the Bentley Report.

HRSA Chairman Grant Goodall said “Sunday’s meeting saw a unified industry ‘in principle’ agreement to significant changes to our constitution.”

“With some fine tuning over the next 10 days, it will allow us to get industry sign-off on November 25,” he added.

 

Super Southern Cross Month

Forced changes to the 2008 Alabar Southern Cross schedule for two-year-old’s has meant July 2008 will be a massive month for juvenile pacers in South Australia.

The two-year-old program was previously set-down for May and early June, but will now be run in conjunction with the three-year-old series in July.

All two and three-year-old finals and consolations will now be contested on the same night, August 2, with heats and repechages on the three preceding Saturday nights.

 

 

---------------

Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd

 

SA Harness Highlights - October 22, 2007

Longshots Dominate GDP Program

Longshots were the theme last Friday night at Globe Derby Park, with three of the first four winners on the program saluting the judge with a UniTAB quote of better than $60.

Arco Baleno ($63.90 on UniTAB) got the ball rolling in the opening race, winning just his fourth race from 168 starts and his first success since a Gawler win in March. Michael Smith was in the cart for Strathalbyn trainer Betty Gilgen, and drove patiently from behind the leader before getting an inside run in the straight and holding off a fast finishing Indicative to win.

Punters where blown further out of the water in the very next race when Locky Lamp ($60.80) got a similar run to the previous winner for his trainer-driver Geoff Gee of Port Wakefield. Also registering lifetime win number four from 44 starts and his first in more than 12 months, Locky Lamp got the nod from Smoke On The Water, Young Angus and Return Fire in a tight four-way finish.

Duke Of Cornwall ($1.80 favourite) restored some normality to proceedings with a tough win in the third event, but veteran pacer Havaview ($70.80) continued the longshots theme in the next event, registering win number eight at his 236^th start.

Havaview, now trained Rodney Wise at Penfield Gardens, started racing as a three-year-old in 1999 and despite only the eight wins has still been a money spinner with an amazing 50 minor placings to his name.

Angela Chapman partnered Havaview on Friday night, landing the favoured position behind the leader before hooking out at the home turn and overhauling the leader, Exotic Spirit, to record a narrow win.

The eleven-year-old gelding has only entered the claiming ranks in his past 10 starts but proved on Friday night he has the ability to score a few wins in that company with the right run.

 

Industry Awards Function Next Sunday

The 2007 SA Harness Racing Industry Awards Function is on next Sunday, October 28.

Harness Racing SA, the SA Harness Racing Club, SA BOTRA, the SA Reinswomens Association and the SA Square Trotters Association join forces to recognise outstanding achievements from season 2007-2008.

Jim Jacques will compere the day with each association’s awards segments mixed with a Stallion Auction, door raffles and table prizes.

Tickets for the day, which includes a smorgasbord lunch starting at 12 noon in Globe Derby Park’s Paceway Restaurant, can be purchased from the secretary’s office at Globe Derby Park for just $25.

 

Fuzzy Wins By Panels

Fuzzy Logic - a big, bold, front-running trotter - used his early speed and a drop back in class to set-up an impressive 37-metre victory at Globe Derby Park last Friday night.

After recording three thirds from his five most recent starts, Fuzzy Logic was primed for a return to the winners list for his Penfield Gardens owner and trainer Geoff Neilson.

With his ability to be at top speed shortly after the start being a major advantage over his rivals, driver David Thuen had Fuzzy Logic away from his 20-metre handicap and in front by the first turn. After just one circuit, Fuzzy Logic and Thuen had opened up a 15-metre break before careering away for the 37-metre win.

Fuzzy Logic first came to SA with Zimbabwean horseman Michael Marias in January 2005 and joined Neilson’s stable later that year. The eight-year-old has now recorded five wins from his 54. 

 

Wroxton Witha Dash Breaks Maiden

Following three heart-breaking defeats, Wroxton Witha Dash finally broke his maiden status with a victory at Globe Derby Park last Friday night.

The lightly-raced four-year-old has had just 10 starts before last weekends success, with his first seven starts last season as part of the Andrew Smith stable.

Now being prepared by Greg Rogers, Wroxton Witha Dash started this season with three consecutive second placings, working three-wide over the final lap on each occasion before failing to find the line.

Rogers used a different tactic last Friday night by moving around the field in the middle stages to sit outside the leader over the final circuit. It proved a successful move with Rogers able to shake his charge up at the top of the home straight where he answered the challenge and hit the line well.

Wroxton Witha Dash was bred by Alison Stevens of Penfield Gardens and is still raced by her in partnership with Andrew Smith and Barry Godfrey.

 

Another Close Defeat for Ndizani

The Garry Connor-owned Ndizani once again finished a close second in a major lead-up race before next Sunday afternoon’s $70,000 Group 2 Kilmore Pacing Cup.

The seven-year-old faced the starter from barrier one as a $2.30 favourite in the Tooleybuc Sporting Club Nyah Pacing Cup last Saturday night, with the winner of the event guaranteed entry into next Sunday’s feature at Kilmore.

Despite finishing second to the Glen Douglas-trained and Daryl Douglas-driven Bold Cruiser, Ndizani all but assured his position in the race with a second successive runner-up cheque.

In similar circumstances to the previous weekends second to Penny Veejay where he led the event and was beaten by his rival getting an inside run, Ndizani’s trainer-driver Kerryn Manning again had the South Aussie gelding in front for a major portion of the race before Douglas urged Bold Cruiser along the pegs in the straight to gain the judges decision.

Ndizani will now step-out in the Kilmore Cup next Sunday and if he continues to snare the good barrier draws will start the event with a major chance of victory.

 

 

---------------

Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd

 

SA Harness Highlights - 15 October 2007

‘Buchfelde Bullet’ Amongst Nations Best

South Australian owned gelding Ndizani has stamped himself amongst the top rung of the country’s pacers when he was a gallant runner-up in the gruelling SEW Eurodrive The Gammalite at Moonee Valley last Saturday night.

Ndizani is owned by Buchfelde trainer Garry Connor, who prepared him from his first start as a four-year-old until June of this year when he was transferred to the Great Western stable of Australia’s leading reinswoman Kerryn Manning.

The Gammalite is a tough staying test under standing start conditions for pacers headed towards the $70,000 Group 2 Kilmore Cup later in the month and included the likes of early Kilmore Cup favourites Manwarra Goforgold and Smooth Crusa, along with former SA Cup winner The Warp Drive and Stawell, Shepparton, Ballarat, Bendigo and Hunter Cup winner Sting Lika Bee.

From a handy front row draw Manning put Ndizani straight to the front and was not headed until late in the race when Penny Veejay took advantage of the sprint lane and his cosy run on the pegs to grab victory by a head.

Ndizani was in no way disgraced with many of his higher credentialed rivals left in his wake after he made all the running with a 2:00.6 milerate for the 2575 metre journey, including a sizzling 56.9 second last half.

 

Industry Awards Function Soon

The 2007 SA Harness Racing Industry Awards function is fast approaching.

Harness Racing SA, the SA Harness Racing Club, SA BOTRA, the SA Reinswomens Association and the SA Square Trotters Association will join forces on Sunday afternoon, October 28, to recognise the achievements of industry participants during the season which concluded at the end of August.

Harness Racing SA released a list of nominations for their respective awards recently including the coveted SA Horse of the Year title which last year went to two-year-old sensation Oztreos.

This season’s award looks like a battle between Inter Dominion participant Conte De Cristo, the ultra-consistent Urjokin, Jim Jacques-owned pacer Roseworthy Lad and classy mare Larachelle. However two-year-old and three-year-old pacers as well as open class trotters are also eligible to be selected for the award, with Vicbred winner Elysees Crest in contention.

Two new awards have been introduced this year by Harness Racing SA. Juvenile Trotter of the Year will reward the achievements of a two or three-year-old squaregaiter and Claimer of the Year will honour a pacers success in the claiming ranks.

Tickets for the day, which includes a smorgasbord lunch starting at 12 noon in Globe Derby Park’s Paceway Restaurant, can be purchased from the secretary’s office at Globe Derby Park for just $25.

 

Wata Wata Girl Finally Secures Second Win

Many people will remember Wata Wata Girl’s first race. In a two-year-old Southern Cross heat in May of 2005, the dimunitive filly showed a brilliant turn of foot at the top of the straight to sprint home to grab victory in the shadows of the post.

It looked as though the filly had a big future in front of her. She was well-bred by John Cunningham out of his top US-bred mare Tarmark who won 31 races and in excess of $120,000, but as it turned out the debut victory was her first and only success until last Friday night.

Initially trained by Irvine Smyth, then spending time late last year with Reg Trevean, Wata Wata Girl showed she had the ability but could not transfer it into racetrack performances. She had a tendency to break gait when confronted with the smallest of excuses.

Bought by Lorraine Hryhorec, Frank Cavallaro and the All For Fun Syndicate, headed by Lewiston’s David Delbridge, in March this year she was transferred to the Globe Derby stables of Ryan Hryhorec.

Apart from a couple of occasions when there have been mitigating circumstances, Hryhorec seems to have worked out her problems and with three placings in the 12 starts since taking over her preparation was rewarded with a win last weekend.

With a small field aiding the cause Hryhorec had Wata Wata Girl positioned perfectly behind behind the leader for most of the event before making a run on the inside over the final 200 metres – in similar style to her first win some two years previous - to secure the victory by just over a metre.

 

---------------

Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd