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NEW $40,000 PGG WRIGHSTON HARNESS ‘5000’, JANUARY 30

NZMTC – Friday January 30, 2015

(Press release, December 19, 2014)

This is a totally new concept for the harness racing industry.

Harness 5000 is a race limited to the progeny of sire’s who stood at an advertised fee of $5000 or less (see guideline list below of eligible Pacing Sires).

Eligibility is for those 3YO pacers who were nominated for the NZ Sires’ Stakes #31 as foals or the NZ Yearling Sales Series #23.

Where any horse was not nominated, if their sire was nominated for Sires’ Stakes a late entry fee of $1000 plus GST may be payable. If the sire wasn’t nominated either the late entry fee is $2000 plus GST.

Artificial insemination and transport of chilled semen allow our leading Sires to serve large books of mares. While this is great for them commercially it makes it harder for others to break into that domain.

This race is about an opportunity for the progeny of those other stallions. We are greatly indebted to The Met, HRNZ and the NZ Sires’ Stakes Board for seeing the need and jointly funding this new initiative.

Stallions (Sires’ Stakes eligible)

Artiscape
Attorney General
Auckland Reactor
Badlands Hanover
Changeover
Charles Bronson
Christian Fire
Elsu
Extreme Three
Flashing Red
Four Starzzz Shark
Gotta Go Cullect
Gotta Go Cullen
Holmes Hanover
Julius Caesar
Justa Tiger
Klondike Kid
Live Or Die

Major In Art
Ohoka Arizona
Pacific Fella
Panpacificflight
P Forty Seven
Pay Me Christian
Red River Hanover
Righteous Hanover
Riverboat King
Royal Mattjesty
Safari
Sands A Flyin
Santanna Blue Chip
Shadow Play
Stonebridge Regal
Justa Tiger
Washington VC

Courtesy of Bruce Barlass (PGG Wrightson) & Ged Mooar
(Addington)

ROCKIN CULLEN ENDS RACE CAREER ON HIGH

Rockin Cullen ended up her race career on a high by taking out the $9915 Stunin Cullen Sprint Series Final over 1200m at Forbury on Thursday, December 17.

The 5YO daughter of Christian Cullen and Idancedallnight, racing in foal to top sire Bettor’s Delight, justified her favouritism from the two gate in the hands of Kimberly Butt.

Rockin Cullen, retires the winner of three from 16 starts with a 1:57.4 time trial mark.

She had enough gate speed to cross Sunnivue Bay Boy and after being pressured by Canderel from the 800m, Rockin Cullen kept finding enough to hold strong late finisher Alexy by a head, with Sicilian Secret third.

Kimberly also won the Ricoh Junior Drivers Mobile Pace at Forbury, getting short-priced favourite Cullen Keefe home after giving him the run of the race to beat Music, taking her number of driving wins to 20.

Rockin Cullen achieved the goal of her father and son Southland owners, Paul and Brendan Duffy, after being sent to Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones as a C1 mare this term.

She raced just four times, winning a heat and final of the Stunin Cullen Sprint Series, and also earned a 1:57.4 time trial credit before being retired to the matron’s paddock.

Rockin Cullen raced just 16 times for three wins and three placings, earning $19,722.

She has plenty going for her on breeding and has a useful record to match.

Her dam Idancedallnight (p2, 1:59.3, six wins & $103,655) was a former Group Two Nevele R Stud 2YO Stakes winner during her race career for owner Ian Dobson.

Idancedallnight, who died last year, is the dam of four to race for four winners.

She left useful brothers to Rockin Cullen in Waltzing With Cullen (1:51.7, Aust, 15 wins & $139,488) and Southland winner Nureyev (2:00), and also this season’s second-up Invercargill winner Degas (by Art Major).

Rockin Cullen is a distant relative of the famed Regina-Rosehaven-Black Watch maternal line, which earlier relatives of the Duffy family established.

Idancedallnight, by Presidential Ball, was from another good filly in Ciccio Star (p3, 1:58.4), who won five at two and three, including a PGG NZ Yearling Sales 3YO Fillies Pace, earning $102,499.

Ciccio Star also left smart half-brothers to Idancedallnight in Conquistare (1:55.9, Aust, 13 wins & $A73,755), Zenthura (1:56.5 Aust, 16 wins & $A117,705), Major Star (1:56.9, seven NZ wins & $101,577) and this season’s promising Canterbury pacer Dana Duke (three wins).

Rockin Cullen’s fourth dam Spirit Of Venus (Lordship-Nancy Iola, by Black Fury-Rosehaven) was unraced but besides Ciccio Star left the speedy Nketia (1:52.4, US, 17 Australasian wins), and Whata Spirit, the four-win dam of a NSW Oaks winner in Fake Spirit (p2, 1:59.8, 1700m) and fast North American winner Family Spirit (1:52.4h, US).

Another daughter of Spirit Of Venus in Spirit Of Spring left Umoja (1:51.2, US), who won five in NZ and has won 24 in North America, earning nearly $200,000.

GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME FORWARD IN WORKOUT

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones has capable mare Goodness Gracious Me warming up for the summer circuit.

Goodness Gracious Me challenges Willow over the closing stages at the Rangiora workouts on December 3.

Goodness Gracious Me, first-up since July, ran Willow close at the Rangiora workouts on Wednesday, December 3.

The 4YO Christian Cullen mare is the winner of four from 23 starts, but reverts to the C2 grade with dropback age group concessions.

She trailed three back for Mark behind the Allstars stablemates Willow and Linda Lovegrace in the C2-4 mobile heat on Wednesday.

Goodness Gracious Me may have headed Willow in the run home before the latter kicked back for a half a head win.

“She (Goodness Gracious Me) blew out the last little bit,” Mark said.

“I’ll look for a junior drivers race, then she can go to to Winton for (Southern Belle) Speed Series heat on December 29th,” he said.

Willow ran the mobile 2000m in 2:30.2 (2:00.8 mile rate) in the hands of Tim Williams, the winner pacing her last 800m in 57.2s and final 400m in 27.4s.

Strike On Command, a catch drive for Wayne Higgs, tailed the five horse field and wasn’t asked for a serious effort in the run home.

Rocker Band, the daughter of Rocknroll Hanover and Mainland Banner, arrives in time to beat Nui Toc Tien (inner, not in picture) & Duke Of Albany at the Rangiora workouts.

Rocker Band, the qualified but unraced 3YO filly by Rocknroll Hanover from 2005 New Zealand Cup winner Mainland Banner (1:55.1), shaped well winning a C0 mobile pace.

She backed up a good finish at the workouts a week earlier by coming from back and wide to run down raceplaced Nui Toc Tien, the latter a newcomer to the Steve Dolan team.

Rocker Band won the mobile 2000m heat in 2:34.9, the leaders running their last 800m in 58.8s and final 400m in 28.8s.

The Greg Brodie-owned Rocker Band could make her race debut at Winton on December 20.

“She’s not paid up for anything, but we could make the $14,000 late payment for the Nevele R with her,” Mark said.

Rocker Band was put aside after she beat Storm Maguire, Whitershadeofpale and Maritime Arden, in a 2000m qualifier (2:02 rate) at Rangiora in April.

Qualified but unraced Bettor Luck (4g Bettor’s Delight-Pocket Conquest, by In The Pocket-Victor Supreme), battled away for third behind Danielle Van De Camp and As Kiwi As in his C0 heat in 3:29.9 (2600m).

Bettor Luck trailed up for Michelle Neilson. He has taken time after running fifth of seven in his qualifier at Ashburton in November last year.

Kowhai Sunrise, resuming, led up in the C1-3 trot but broke and failed to settle in the run home, allowing Clifden Clowers to beat Sunrise Invasion in 3:30 (2600m).

EYRE I COME FRESHENED AFTER MINOR SETBACK

Promising Overport Lodge squaregaiter Eyre I Come is having two weeks off after a minor paddock incident ruled him out of racing last weekend.

“When I went out to get him on the morning of the race I found him caught in a fence,” said trainer Mark Jones.

Eyre I Come, missed racing at Orari last Saturday.

“He was ok the next day. I probably could have started him but it wasn’t worth taking any risks.”

Mark will target the $25,000 Four & Five-Year-Old Trotting Championship at Addington on March 20 with the impressive NZ Cup day intermediate trot winner.

Eyre I Come, a 4YO Majestic Son gelding, has raced only 10 times for three wins.

“Being a combined four and five-year-old makes it a bit harder, but it suited us last year with Master Lavros, even though he got beat in that,” Mark said.

Master Lavros, meanwhile, arrived back in Christchurch on Wednesday after his trip to Matamata for tests, which revealed some wear and tear in his front joints and stifles.

He will be treated and swum for the next few weeks.

“We’ll just have to manage his issues and keep on top of it,” Mark said.

“Ideally I’d like to take him to the Glenferrie Challenge at Menangle (March 1).”

“There’s a mob free-for-all at Addington on January 30. He might be back for that.”

PERISSA DELIVERS AT ORARI

Perissa, who delivered second-up for the Mark Jones stable at Orari on Saturday, November 29, is likely to target the Westport meeting at the end of the month.

“She got the right run in the right race,” Mark said.

“She was going good before I got her.  Andrew Stuart had freshened her up for a couple of weeks before she came here.”

Perissa backed up a strong second to Lightning Mach at Motukarara with a penalty-free win for Kimberly Butt in the Temuka Transport Mobile Pace for junior drivers at Orari.

Kim sooled her out to hold her place from the ace early, then handed to Mighty Mara entering the first turn.

Perissa, a 5YO Art Major mare, finished best with a sprint lane finish to score by half a head from the consistent McArdle Royale in a 2:00.7 rate for the 1850m, the leaders running their last 800m in 59.3s and final 400m in 28.1s.

This was Kimberly’s 18th driving win and her fourth this season, and the 17th training win for the Mark Jones stable for the season.