Owning a winning racehorse is a great feeling.
But some of the connections of Pegarose went to the next level yesterday with their first breeding success.
Mark Tempelman and Mouraad Hardiman were on course yesterday to watch the first foal out of Watch Rose Trot (five wins) clear maidens at her second attempt.
Tempelman and Hardiman race the 3yr-old filly with fellow breeder Kieran Flynn and Hardiman's father, Ted, the only member of the ownership group who does not live in Invercargill.
The daughter of Pegasus Spur showed sharp speed with her third on debut on Sunday, although trainer-driver Nathan Williamson said she did not always have the sprint in her arsenal.
"She's got quite solid which is a plus, but she's developing the speed,'' he said.
"It's something that I never knew she had until the last two or three weeks.
"The mother was a good mare so I think she's got a bit of the family ability.''
Williamson will chase a penalty-free win with Pegarose, a tactic Riversdale trainer Tony Stratford will adopt with Concorde Dawn after her maiden win in a 2200m mobile pace even if last night's meeting at Forbury Park was not in the original plans for Concorde Dawn.
"We were bringing a couple up here and we thought we'd throw her on and see how she backs up.''
Stratford's main reason for the trip was Deceitndesire two races earlier, and that move paid off so Concorde Dawn's win means Stratford went home with a 100% strike rate for the meeting.
"[Deceitndesire] gets on really good with Dexter and she won here over the same sort of distance at Tuapeka so we thought it was a good race for her tonight,'' he said.
Honey Cullen is also in the situation in which he can chase free wins.
The 2yr-old won on debut last night for Branxholme trainer Kirk Larsen who, like Stratford, went home with a 100% strike rate after Melina Lowe won the junior drivers' race.
The banter goes back and forth between breeder Bruce Wallace and trainer Phil Williamson every time Ruby's Jewel gets a win.
The Sundon mare grabbed her fourth career win last night, slightly defying the breeding of her mother Shouldn't Do It.
The latter's name came more than 16 years ago after Williamson advised Wallace against sending Frances Jay Bee - the mother of One Kenny, One Under Kenny and latterly One Over Kenny - to pacing stallion Holmes Hanover.
Wallace did get a win out of Shouldn't Do It, although it might be a points decision to Williamson in hindsight.
"I give him a few hints [about the breeding's success] but the mother reminds me a few times I shouldn't have done it,'' Wallace, of Chatton, said.
Wallace is certainly crediting Williamson for Ruby's Jewel's improvement in the last six months, winning three times in 2016.
"The best move I did was give her to Phil - the big stable's made a difference. I only train one or two. Plus I sacked the driver that used to drive her - me!''
Fleeting Grin was claimed for $7500 after race 9 by Craig Kennett.
Four claims were lodged for the 5yr-old, and Kennett's name was drawn out of the ballot.
