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.

 

 

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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.

 

 

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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.

 

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Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd

 

SA Harness Highlights - 8 October 2007

Justice ‘Holiday’ Proves Successful

Former leading South Australian reinswoman Lisa Justice seized on an opportunity to return ‘home’ and grab some spending money when first starter Wholelotasound and former top juvenile Elijah were impressive winners last weekend.

The school holidays presented Justice with the opportunity to visit family with her daughter and the decision to tack on the float and bring a couple of horses paid handsome dividends.

Lisa Justice, now training from Rockbank in Melbourne’s outer west, couldn’t get a start with three-year-old Wholelotasound late in his two-year-old year and brought him west for a debut run at Friday nights Globe Derby meeting.

Justice bred the gelding out of race-winning Classic Garry mare Wholelota Rosie, whom she also trained in a very short racetrack career, making him a half-brother to talented five-year-old Knowlsies Crown. Knowlsies Crown has won 10 races with the Lisa Justice polish plus a second placing in a Breeders Crown Consolation.

Wholelotasound was sent out an odds-on favourite in the final event last Friday night, highlighting the respect with which Justice is still held in SA, and after sitting parked outside the leader found an extra gear when the deafeners were released to win comfortably.

Justice returned to headquarters the following night with Elijah, a horse who local harness racing fans would be very familiar with from his days racing in the Neil Cavallaro stable.

Elijah won the Golden Nursery and Lordship Stakes at Globe Derby Park as a two-year-old as well as being placed in the Premiere and Youthful Stakes at Moonee Valley.

The In The Pocket five-year-old returned to Globe Derby for the first time in 20 months, after overcoming a stress fracture which threatened his career, but showed no signs of soreness by leading all the way to win by 10-metres.

In form pacers Angel Flyer, Smoke On The Water and Karion Kweeny were left in his wake as a 58.6 final 800 metres set up the impressive win and completed a very successful visit for Lisa Justice.

 

All The Way For Iris

Despite not winning since April last year and failing to fill a place in her last six starts, Iris had plenty of supporters when sent out a $3 favourite in the final race at Globe Derby Park last Saturday night and didn’t let them down with an all-the-way victory.

Iris, an eight-year-old by super sire Fake Left, had run a number of handy races from back row draws in the past couple of months without troubling the judge. A front row barrier in Saturday night’s event and a slightly easier class of opposition were all it took for the mare to record her sixth career win.

Trained and raced by Naomi Shelbourne at Lewiston and driven by her partner David Jolly, Iris looked decidedly keen to run along with her tail high in the air from the moment she sprung from the mobile. However Jolly was able to keep her mind on the job at hand and kept a genuine pace throughout, establishing a winning break off the back straight and holding off all challengers in the run to the line.

 

Jet’ From Last to First

Freeling trainer Rob Turner enjoyed his third win in just his second season of training when Jetpilot came from last to win the Barastoc – Calm Performer Pace at Globe Derby Park last Friday night.

Six-year-old gelding Jetpilot has provided Turner with each of those victories, and last weeks success was easily one of the best runs in his 55 start career.

With Danielle Hill in the cart, Jetpilot was last 400-metres from the finish but unleashed a finishing burst as the leaders struggled into a head breeze and grabbed a three-metre victory.

Turner only started training in his own right at the beginning of last season and took on a winless Jetpilot. While it took him 13 starts and six months to break his maiden status, Turner has enjoyed 10 placings and a further two wins in his 28 runs since then.

 

Changes to SA BOTRA Pace

SA BOTRA have reacted to the lack of nominations for the 2007 BOTRA Pace by introducing new conditions for the two-year-old event which will be conducted in March from this season forward.

The race was previously for horses sired by stallions standing in SA, but with the numbers of local stallions declining the race suffered from a lack of eligible young pacers.

The new guidelines establish that any two-year-old will be eligible for the race provided the owners or lessees are fully paid-up members of SABOTRA at the time the entry is lodged and a once-off entry fee of $137.50 is paid with the nomination by the closing time – which this season will be 5pm on December 14.

$2000 qualifying heats will be conducted in the month preceding the BOTRA Pace Final, which is expected to be run for $20,000 at its first edition scheduled for March 8, 2008.

Further details and a nomination form will soon be available on the HRSA Industry Pages on the harness.org.au website under the BOTRA link.

 

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Neal Conder

HRSA Ltd