HarnessLink - by Brad Reid (14 June 2024)
A week removed from a public outcry about the discrepancy in opportunities for squaregaiting fillies and mares, Harness Racing New Zealand programmers called on nominations of trotting mares for a night of mile racing at Alexandra Park held on Thursday night.
It had been pointed out that since August 1 last year under the Fillies and Mares Breeding Credit Scheme, there have been 188 credit-eligible races for pacers, and only 30 for trotters.
Local trainer Michelle Wallis further pointed to the fact that trotting fillies and mares in her care had receieved jus the three opportunities to earn credits under the scheme in the North Island since the start of the season.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the support was overwhelming with nominations bristling to the tune of 19 fillies and mares jumping at the chance to race against their own sex under the ‘ribbon of light’
Instead of just the one race, there were sufficient nominations to run two and in a first for the trotting mares in the north island this season, the events were won by the punters elect with the favourites taking out both races.
The first came in race three when the Arna Donnelly trained Keep It Klaasy won the What The Hill @ Woodlands Stud F & M Mobile Trot in a fitting reward for being a model of consistency over the last few months.
The four-year-old daughter of What The Hill has been in the judges call in each of her last 12 starts, all the while failing to get her nose in front, but nevertheless delivering a great sense of joy and revenue for her connection.
“She is super consistent I think out of her last dozen or so starts she hasn’t been out of the top four and has been like a little Eftpos card,” laughed Donnelly.
“My Mum owns her too which is great. She always wanted a trotter and she picked her out of the yearling sales. She was pretty taken by her and bought her sight unseen really, so she gets all the credit for that one. She is only a wee peanut, she would be 15 hands top and is just a little wee girl.
“Like most trotters, she had a bit of a patch there where she was doing things wrong. We got on top of that and she has come back this time around and she is trotting really good. She lacks a bit of speed, but she usually steps away well and is good off the mobile gate too so she always gets herself handy which is a big help and she tries her heart out which is all you can ask for,” she said.
Keep It Klaasy is out of the Armbro Invasion mare, Classic Armbro, a granddaughter of the trotting star, Merinai (Tuff Choice). She was purchased in 2021 for $37,500 and despite picking up just her second win overnight, combined with her 12 placings, she has exceeded that sales tag in amassing $47,861 in stake money.
Last night after securing the trail having attacked the leader in the early stages, the ‘wee peanut’ scooted up the lane, only to be headed by Royden Downey and Sans Au Revoir (Love You). To her credit, Donnelly’s mare dug deep and fought back on the line for a well deserved victory by a nose.
Donnelly credited a trip away to Hawera as part of the turnaround in the mares performances which have led to an impressive run of seconds, thirds and fourths.
“We threw her in the deep end there and she made a bit of a blue the first day but got it right the second. Ever since then, she hasn’t been out of the money and it’s been good fun.
“It was awesome that she was able to run against her own sex tonight. I wasn’t quite sure whether we would even get a run or it would be too good of a field for her, but it just goes to show that there should be more of them and possibly every other week.
“There are a number of the mares around and if you don’t look after them they will be lost prematurely,” she said.
