Smiling Shard won the $200,000 Sires' Stakes Final in runaway style at Addington last night.
Kotare Mach, the hot favourite, tangled after 300m. He was unable to retain the lead from barrier one. He dropped out to the rear and displayed amazing speed to become handy at the 700m before stopping to eighth, 30 lengths from the winner.
Smiling Shard went to the front near the 1200m and won by five and a-quarter lengths in 2.21.7, a 1.56.9 mile rate, the last 800m in 57.7.
He is trained by Cran Dalgety for his wife, Chrissy, Alistair Rooney, of Picton, Allan Vernel and Peter Gorman, both of Christchurch.
Smiling Shard was a $41,000 purchase at the 2008 premier yearling sale when offered by Debbie and Mark Smith, of Myross Bush.
Smiling Shard has had three wins and and seven placings in 11 starts. The $101,200 first prize boosted his earnings to $225,915.
He is from the first New Zealand crop of Grinfromeartoear and the first foal of Sly Shard, winner of four races and a half-sister by Panorama to Sly Flyin, winner of the Sires' Stakes final for 2yr-olds in 2001.
• Lauraella became the fourth filly to complete the Triple Crown when she won the New Zealand Oaks last night. She also won the Great Northern Oaks and the Sires' Stakes Fillies Final.
Armalight (1980), Tigerish (1992) and Under Cover Lover (1998) have also won the Triple Crown.
• Dexter Dunn, who drove Smiling Shard to win last night, has switched to Kusadasi from stablemate Chrissy Styx in race 2 at the Invercargill meeting today.
Kusadasi is one of three horses trained by Mark Purdon and Grant Payne in the race for 2yr-old fillies. The other is Millwood Meg.
Rival Ask McArdle needs to finish in the first four to qualify for the Harness Jewels.
• Speedy VC provided the star turn when she qualified at Winton yesterday.
Speedy VC ran 3.08.8, 2.2sec inside the required time and the fastest of the day. She is a 3yr-old filly by Washington VC from Speedy Chick, the dam of Step Right (1.51.6).
Mybrotherwasastar (Sundon-Rob The Nest), a sister of Thedonsson and Sonofthedon and half-sister to Galleons Assassin, qualified as a trotter.
Results. -
Weather overcast; track, good.
Two-year-old pacers, mobile, one mile: El Nino D McLachlan 1; Jaccka Alex 2; Sheza Littlelilyrose 3. Four started. Nk, 9L. Time, 2.03.3. Trainer, D McLachlan.
Qualifying test, pacers, mobile, 2400m: Speedy VC R Swain 1; Jaccka Cardle 2; Cairn Abyss 3. Three started. 33L, 56L. Time, 3.08.8 (first horse qualified). Trainer, C Baynes and R Swain.
Qualifying test, trotter, 2400m: Mybrotherwasastar N Williamson. Time, 3.16.9 (qualified). Trainer, W Heads.
Qualifying test pacers, 2400m: Pacific Soul A Beck 1; Rakalala 2. Two started. 3L. Time, 3.15.9 (none qualified).
0-2w pacers, 2400m: Golden Tara N Williamson 1; Princess Courage 2; Lilly's Lively Lad 20 3. Three started. 2L, 12L. Time, 3.16.2. Trainer, W Heads.
0w pacers, mobile, 2400m: Classic Punch P Hunter 1; Hannah's Last 2; Shades Of Holme 3. Three started. 4L, 5L. Time, 3.14.7. Trainer, P Hunter.
1-5w pacers, 2400m: Secondstospare I Jamieson 1; Da Ginstir 2; Hoshi Bromac 3. Six started. L, 2 1/4L. Time, 3.11.8. Trainer, D Baynes.
• Additional information for the meetings today. -
Waikato RC
Riders
Race 9: No Going Back - A Peard.
Scratching
Race 9: Hurk
Weather, fine; track, dead (6); rail, true.
Rangitikei RC
Riders
Race 1: Our Prophecy - K Myers (a).
Race 2: Our Prophecy - L Allpress.
Race 4: Rangler - K Collins.
Race 7: Felign - D Bradley.
Gear changes
Blinkers: race 4, Lago Rider; race 7, Playin For Keep (one cup right side); race 11, Biscuit Boy, Nun Better.
Blinkers off: race 1, Striking Asset; race 2, Hill Of Gold; race 4, Hard And Fast; race 5, Kalgoorlie Bomber; race 7, Blame Me; race 8, Clarence; race 9, Bulginbaah.
Scratchings
Race 4: Sir Arthur.
Race 5: Cash Entry, Padlock.
Race 7: Perky Parrot, St Riverton.
Race 10: Flypass.
Race 11: Perky Parrot.
Weather, overcast; track, heavy (10); rail, out 4m.
Invercargill HRC
Drivers
Race 1: Spiritual Bromac - C Barron.
Race 2: Chrissy Styx - B Barclay; Kusadasi - D Dunn (j).
Scratchings
Race 2: Deal On The Day.
Race 4: Phineus Chase.
Race 5: Bonnie Harvest.
Race 6: The Protagonist, Ireby Bazil Brush, Whata Willie, Flyin Ferrari.
Race 8: Rosewood Mac.
Race 9: Lilly's Lively Lad, Rosewood Mac, Late Flyin.
Race 10: Whisky Tango, The Blur, Ireby Bazil Brush.
• Takeover Target, the star Australian sprinter, has drawn three in the KrisFlyer Sprint at Kranji tomorrow, AAP reports.
Unbeaten Singapore-trained Rocket Man has drawn nine in a 14-horse field for the group one race.
Takeover Target won the race last year. Trainer Joe Janiak said he was happy with Takeover Target after several anxious days when the 9yr-old was off his feed. Takeover Target and Rocket Man are the $2.30 equal favourites with TAB Sportsbet.
• Rachel Alexandra has been installed 8-5 favourite for the Preakness Stakes tomorrow, AFP reports. Rachel Alexandra, whose new owners paid a $US100,000 late entry fee, has won her last five starts. She drew the outer in a 13-horse field.
Calvin Borel chose to retain the ride on Rachel Alexandra in preference to Mine That Bird, whom he rode to win the Kentucky Derby. Mike Smith will ride Mine That Bird.
