Houghton claims trifecta in first 2YO race of the new season

[Wandering Eyes]

By Michael Guerin

Showmethetanlines was more than just a super impressive debut winner at Addington on Friday night.

He was living proof of the money that can be made by getting on the front foot with early season two-year-old racing.

The first two-year-old race of the season saw trainer Ross Houghton provide the trifecta, two them owned by Dancingonmoonlight Farm, where he trains his horses.

The winner was way, way too good, bolting in by four lengths with a 57.9 second last 800m to suggest this won’t be his last win.

But it is already worth way more than the winning stake as Robert Famularo, who owns Dancingonmoonlight Farms, gets $12,000 worth of bonuses for both breeding and owning Showmethetanlines.

“When you look at the bonuses these two-year-olds get it makes sense to have them going early when plenty of other stables don’t have them racing,” says Houghton.

“The bonuses are a great initiative and shows how keen HRNZ and Entain are to get two-year-old racing up and going earlier.”

Houghton says while the winner is good he expects third placed Burt to be an improver next time they race.

“He is a couple of weeks behind the other two and it sounds like Addington are keen to programme a two-year-old race every second week so these horses will get their chances.”

Houghton says he has four more two-year-olds to join Friday night’s trio next month so he could be the new early season king of the babies.

“I really enjoy the young horses and there has never been a better time to train them.”

Houghton’s trifecta was the performance of the night but there was plenty to like about the win of Next Level in the main pace.

Trainer Steven Reid had told HRNZ readers Next Level could be a run short but the sharp four-year-old was still too good for his rivals, driver Blair Orange staying out of the early burn before heading forward and wresting control of the race.

Later in the night debutant three-year-old Crunch Time looked a smart horse when he won courtesy of a 27.8 second last 400m for trainer Hayden Cullen. 

View the full article