GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME RUNS 1:56.3 ASHBURTON MILE
Goodness Gracious Me, rewarded after four placed efforts this term with a career best 1:56.3 winning mile at Ashburton on Saturday, will target the $20,000 Southern Belle Speed Series Final at Winton on March 14.
“I was think of taking her to Auckland, but she can stay around here for the Southland Final,” said trainer Mark Jones.
Goodness Gracious Me, now a 1:56.3 winning miler with nearly 54,000 in earnings for owners John and Gay Tate.
“She will likely head to Australia to race before going in foal next season,” he said.
Mark finished second with Telemecanique (subsequently a 1:52.2 US miler) behind Beaudiene Bad Bade in the 2010 Southern Belle Speed Series Final, the winner going 1:57.2.
Goodness Gracious Me is also eligible for the final Southern Belle series heat at Invercargill on February 15.
She finished a luckless third in the first Southern heat behind Al Raza and Happy Heidi at Winton on December 29, the winner clocking 1:55.
Goodness Gracious Me, downgraded to a C1 assessment after her Winton placing, was too good after being caught wide into the first turn at Ashburton, then being obliged to race in the open.
The 4YO Christian Cullen-Delight Me mare was travelling like the winner turning for home for Blair Orange and won as she liked by 1 1/4 lengths from Culinary Delight, Little Tess, and tiring pacemaker Angelina Jolie.
The consistent racemare took her earnings to just under $54,000 for breeder owners, John and Gay Tate, with Saturday’s win. She has now raced 28 times for five wins and 13 placings.
She ran third in last year’s Group Two Southland Oaks Final behind Royal Counsel and Raksdeal, and has a fastest placed mile rate of 1:55.3 when second to Raksdeal in an Invercargill Nevle R Fillies Heat in January 2014.
Goodness Gracious Me will have a useful broodmare career when her racing ends.
She is from our-race winner Delight Me (p3, 1:58.9 mile rate, 1950m), a Bettor’s Delight half-sister to Milly Me (1:52, US, 3 NZ wins, 17 USA wins) and Bella Me (p3, 1:57.8 mile rate, 1700m, three wins).
Her grand-dam Estabella (TT, 1:56.3), was a two win sister to Fear Me (1:57, US, 3 NZ & 3 USA wins), and a half-sister to former top pacers Pocket Me (1:53.7, Aust, 13 wins including an Interdominion Heat and a third to Yulestar and Attitagain in the 2001 Brisbane Interdominion Grand Final) and Talk About Me (10 wins).
Fourth dam Nanoose (three wins) was a Young Charles half-sister to dual 1983 NZ & Great Northern Derby winner Mighty Me.
Meanwhile, faster class stablemate Johnny Fox is having a week off after taking out the Nelson and Invercargill Cups in January.
“We’ll get him back and look at either the Cheviot Cup on March 1 or take him to Auckland. There isn’t a lot for him until then,” said Mark.
By Jeff Scott