Just an excuse, dual winner of the New Zealand Trotting Cup, had to be put down yesterday after breaking a front leg.
Sandy Stewart found Just An Excuse with his injured leg as she was feeding out on the Raglan property of her partner, Robert Mitchell.
"I felt sorry for Sandy to find him," Mitchell said.
"He has been such a great horse for us and really didn't deserve to go like this."
The Live Or Die-My Excuse gelding was rising 10.
Just An Excuse won the New Zealand Cup in 2003 and 2004.
He had 39 starts for 17 wins and earnings of $1,047,157 for his Cambridge owners, Ollie and Irene Haines.
He had five group one wins, including the 2004 New Zealand Free-For-All, 2003 Taylor Mile and the New Zealand Messenger Championship.
He won the 2004 Ballarat Cup.
"We have so many great memories but the one that stands out was his performance to win his second New Zealand Cup," Mitchell said.
• The owners of Barberino and Carmelasoprano shared the $1500 prize for the most successful horse over the four meetings at Forbury Park last month.
The final meeting was last Friday.
Barberino is owned by Dr Alan Robert, of Timaru, and Ivan and Ann Behrnes, of Temuka.
Carmelasoprano was in the ownership of Merv and Meg Butterworth, of Melbourne, when she won last Friday.
She had been placed at the three other meetings when owned by Michael Taranto, of Melbourne, and Troy Smith, of Christchurch.
Bruce Hutton remained the trainer.
Bruce Negus was head and shoulders above his rivals in the competition for $6000 in cash prizes in a public trainers' competition at the Forbury Park meetings.
Negus, who won eight races at the four meetings, collected the $3000 first prize after amassing 126 points.
Andrew Faulks (48 points) took the second prize of $1500 and Hamish Hunter (43) $1000 for third.
Cran Dalgety (38) and Graeme Anderson (36) each received $500 for fourth and fifth.
Billy Heads collected the $2000 prize for the most successful licensed trainer.
• The executive of Harness Racing New Zealand has given the Cambridge-Te Awamutu club the hosting right for the 2010 Harness Jewels.
The club hosted the second series on May 31.
The executive said the reallocation was recognition for the job the club did in hosting the 2008 race day. The executive said the early confirmation gave the club certainty about redevelopment at Cambridge raceway, in particular planning for new stable facilities.
• The executive has agreed to totalisator betting on 10 advanced amateur driving races next season.
The approval follows correspondence from the New Zealand Amateur Drivers Association.
• Peter Ferguson will represent New Zealand in the world driving championship in Norway in May next year.
His selection was predominantly based on his performance in the premiership over the last two seasons.
It also recognised his wider contribution to the industry.
Ferguson is second in the premiership this season with 128 wins behind Dexter Dunn (132).
Footnote: The stabling at Cambridge has concerned trainers. Horses have to be backed into the narrow stalls, rather than led in and turned round.
