The New Zealand Sapling Stakes

[Gammalite]

Being run on Sunday at Ashburton for $60,000. The 7 accepting 2 year old  Fillies run separately for $40,000 in race 5 the Helen Pope Classic.

was just commenting to Mikey on the Southern Surge thread about the importance of running these type of races. He is questioning the running of these races for being small fields and not great betting and not worth $100,000.

I would say you need 2 year old racing. It's where the New Stars get 'Introduced ' each year to the sport. Marketplace WON this race last year. I definitely think it's worth the tradition and Prestige to keep these sort of races going. The Welcome Stakes gets criticised the same for small fields , but you can't just NOT Have them ?

It's the trainers fault really. They should be trying Many many 2 year olds ( as Allstars did for more than a decade sweeping these sort of races with devastating effect accordingly.

A $60,000 Group 3 race should attract the best trainers to have a go. Maybe it should be worth more money to get more starters lol? 

We have 4 x $50k races (2 Fillies and 2 coltsgelding divisions  of 2 and 3 year olds ) being run at Albion Saturday night. Grant and wife Trista Dixon , and Pete McMullen and wife Chantal Turpin qualified 22 of the 40 starters that a racing for the $200,000.  An astounding achievement of hard work and dedication . That's how the Allstars did it.

You need some of the Newer 'power' stables to try and get horses in these fields ( like at Ashburton)where are Cullens and Todd? 

are Dalgety's, Dunns and Telfers the only ones working hard now with large teams ?

 

[Gammalite]

and here's one for Rangatira too. (or anybody that can pick him before the master Sleuth Ranga does) 

And as Doomed said on another thread,  the field for the Sapling stakes used to be combined Colts/geldings/Fillies for many years. A Filly ran 2nd to this bloke in photo . a NZ record run too. 

Who is the Winner here?

 

 

[Withadream2]

With no confidence whatsoever Royal Lopez?

[Gammalite]

8 minutes ago, Withadream2 said:

With no confidence whatsoever Royal Lopez?

Not far off . Our driver in photo was 4th to Royal Lopez with his horse Treasurer when Royal Lopez won his Sapling Stakes. The Future NZ Derby winner Game Adios was 5th in that race. 

[Withadream2]

Natural Guy.   From the first crop of Nat Lobell he had a good first crop but was spectacularly unsuccessful thereafter. 

[Gammalite]

17 minutes ago, Withadream2 said:

Natural Guy.   From the first crop of Nat Lobell he had a good first crop but was spectacularly unsuccessful thereafter. 

That's him . and sold to Brodie straight after that Sapling Stakes win for a large sum 💰😉

Late great Jack Smolenski steering him to a 4 lengths win at Ashburton . also previously winning the NZ Kindergarten Stakes and the Timaru Nursary stakes where he defeated future Auckland Cup winner 'Comedy Lad' . Comedy Lad from Southland, getting revenge though, in the NZ Welcome Stakes at Addington over Natural Guy and getting sold himself to millionaire Auckland based Max Harvey.

(the Brodie that bought Natural Guy was Greg Brodie of 'Courage Under Fire' Fame lol. not the big gun's Brodie  😂😋)

[Withadream2]

He was part owned in NZ by his trainer P Robertson along with Mike Butler who was the stud master at Nevele R. 

[Doomed]

It used to be run on the big grass track of course and used to attract the country's best 2yos. The one I always remember was Fouroux, trained by Clem Scott, beating Melton Monarch sometime in the early 80s. 

Some of the greats won it, notably Inky Lord, Young Quinn and Noodlum. The best filly I remember winning it was Hilarious Guest. The most interesting filly to win it was Ar Miss who went on to become the mother of the brilliant Armalight.

Sadly, I wouldn't be able to name a single winner over the last 30 or so years, but that is because I don't follow harness racing much these days. Inky Lord is probably the most recent winner I could name.

[Doomed]

1 minute ago, Doomed said:

It used to be run on the big grass track of course and used to attract the country's best 2yos. The one I always remember was Fouroux, trained by Clem Scott, beating Melton Monarch sometime in the early 80s. 

Some of the greats won it, notably Inky Lord, Young Quinn and Noodlum. The best filly I remember winning it was Hilarious Guest. The most interesting filly to win it was Ar Miss who went on to become the mother of the brilliant Armalight.

Sadly, I wouldn't be able to name a single winner over the last 30 or so years, but that is because I don't follow harness racing much these days. Inky Lord is probably the most recent winner I could name.

I do remember Malaz winning it. Not sure if he was before or after Inky Lord.

[mikeynz]

First Sapling stakes I remember was Castle Derg, Richard Brossnan

[Doomed]

10 minutes ago, mikeynz said:

First Sapling stakes I remember was Castle Derg, Richard Brossnan

I think Richard might have driven Fouroux as well.

[Gammalite]

31 minutes ago, Doomed said:

t used to be run on the big grass track of course and used to attract the country's best 2yos. The one I always remember was Fouroux, trained by Clem Scott, beating Melton Monarch sometime in the early 80s.

45 years ago almost to the day on last day of May,  'Fouroux' and Richard Brosnan staved off the future Open class horse of Jim Dalgety's in 'Melton Monarch 'that Jim had bred owned trained and drove himself. 

same year as Lord Module won the NZ Cup for CecilD.

Fouroux never made open class with just the 9 career wins . 4 of them were as a 2 yearold. 

In the Sapling Stakes , both he and Melton Monarch had tangled badly , and were way out the back after the start , but both looped the field in impressive fashion at the half mile,  to fight out the finish by a neck margin. 

was huge runs by both horses is why it might stick in your memory Mr Doomed. 

[Doomed]

6 minutes ago, Gammalite said:

45 years ago almost to the day on last day of May,  'Fouroux' and Richard Brosnan staved off the future Open class horse of Jim Dalgety's in 'Melton Monarch 'that Jim had bred owned trained and drove himself. 

same year as Lord Module won the NZ Cup for CecilD.

Fouroux never made open class with just the 9 career wins . 4 of them were as a 2 yearold. 

In the Sapling Stakes , both he and Melton Monarch had tangled badly , and were way out the back after the start , but both looped the field in impressive fashion at the half mile,  to fight out the finish by a neck margin. 

was huge runs by both horses is why it might stick in your memory Mr Doomed. 

That's an even better memory than mine Gamma. I think they were the favourities and it was a tight finish. Might have even been a protest. Big fields in those days as well.

[mikeynz]

Noodlum in 74, Olga Korbut 75. A filly beat a field of 15, 15 running on Sunday but 2 races, if a filly is good enough it's good enough.

Edited yesterday at 08:54 AM by mikeynz

[Gammalite]

17 minutes ago, Doomed said:

That's an even better memory than mine Gamma. I think they were the favourities and it was a tight finish. Might have even been a protest. Big fields in those days as well.

correctamondo. Fouroux lost the race on protest , then was reinstated as winner on appeal a few days later. very rare event.

All these years later the Dalgety Clan look set for Victory with a huge chance to win it .

FUGITIVE a hot $1.50 fav for Carter  and FREEZE FRAME 3rd fav at 11-1 for Mr Orange driving. 

[mikeynz]

It's Brosnan, not Brossnon, correct spelling is important🫣

I only take pride in spelling after reading many comments on Facebook lol. 

Edited yesterday at 09:36 AM by mikeynz

[Doomed]

1 hour ago, Gammalite said:

correctamondo. Fouroux lost the race on protest , then was reinstated as winner on appeal a few days later. very rare event.

All these years later the Dalgety Clan look set for Victory with a huge chance to win it .

FUGITIVE a hot $1.50 fav for Carter  and FREEZE FRAME 3rd fav at 11-1 for Mr Orange driving. 

The good old days of post race-day appeals. Total tangent here, but the one I always remember was in the galloping code. The 3yo fillies race at Oamaru, in the days when Oamaru was a respected track. Sea Princess beat one of the Dennis brothers horses and the result changed numerous times with protests, appeals and counter appeals. Can't happen these days. They changed the rules as it has the potential to be a bit embarrassing.