Trainer Kirsty Lawrence leads Real Slim Tradie back to the winner's stall following the horse's game maiden victory at Hastings last Sunday.
Waipukurau trainer Kirsty Lawrence has some high aspirations for Real Slim Tradie, who broke through for a game maiden win at last Sunday's Waipukurau Jockey Club's meeting at Hastings.
The Showcasing 3-year-old followed up a debut second over 1200m at Trentham last month with a three-quarter length victory over 1300m at Hastings and gives every indication he will only get better with more time and racing.
Lawrence, whose husband Steve is among the sizeable number of owners in the horse, said this week she is keen to step him up into black type races in the future.
"I know it might sound like a bit of a dream but we are going to have a crack at the Wellington Stakes at Otaki at the end of this month," Lawrence said.
"And today I chucked in a nomination for the Group 1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie in March next year.
"He might not get to the derby but they are only three once and so I thought we might as well put in a nomination," she added.
The Group 3 $70,000 Lucia Valentina Wellington Stakes is run over 1600m at Otaki on November 26 and is a traditional stepping-stone to some of the major 3-year-old races later in the season.
Lawrence and husband Steve purchased Real Slim Tradie off the Gavelhouse website in March this year, paying $4500 plus GST for the now 3-year-old.
"He had been given a 2-year-old Ready To Run preparation but was passed in at that sale for $20,000," Lawrence said.
"It took us a while to get him home and then we were held up due to the Covid lockdown so we just concentrated on getting him to relax.
"He's a bit spooky still and is a bit dumb and does things wrong but he's developing and strengthening and is sure to get better with time."
Steve Lawrence is a painter by trade and he and Kirsty have managed to get a number of other tradesmen to take up a share in the horse.
"Some of them are first time owners and there are others who have had horses but never a winner so it was a huge thrill for those who were able to get on course to see the win last Sunday," Lawrence added.
The full list of shareholders is Steve Lawrence, Phil and Jo Hayes, Peter and Sonya Barry, Andrew Rochester, Kate Boyden, Sam Elkink, Dion and Chel Adams, Hamish and Shane Overend, Trent Miller and Mark Bland from Hawke's Bay and Kawerau-based Brent Mitchell.
Real Slim Tradie certainly has some good breeding to back up his ability. He is out of the Elusive City mare Acapela, who was the winner of four races and finished a close fourth in the Group 2 Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga.
A full-sister to Real Slim Tradie is Flaunting, who included the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui among her two wins and was also second in the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki as a 2-year-old.
Kirsty Lawrence said Real Slim Tradie is not a typical Showcasing type, with that sire's progeny normally being short-coupled horses and predominantly sprinters.
"He is more of a long lean horse and more of a real stayer so stepping him up to 1600 metres shouldn't be a problem and hopefully he will get further."
Ryan Bishop rode Real Slim Tradie to victory last Sunday. The horse was a shade slow to begin and was caught three-wide, in midfield, for almost the entire race.
He was even wider turning into the home straight and looked to be labouring with 300m to run before producing an extra effort in the final stages to win well.
Lawrence said the horse is a big strider who wasn't that happy in the slow track conditions and that he should be even better on firmer footing.
Real Slim Tradie is one of nine horses Kirsty Lawrence has in work at the moment but one of only two at the racing stage, the other being Pep Torque.
She alternates Real Slim Tradie's training between working on the Waipukurau track and beach work and says the variation seems to work well with the horse.
Hastings-trained Basarwa followed up an impressive trial win at Foxton last month with a decisive winning debut on his home track last Sunday.
The 3-year-old Atlante gelding, prepared by Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen, started a warm favourite for a maiden 1200m race after cruising to a 3 length win in a 1000m heat at the Foxton trials on October 29.
Johnathan Parkes had ridden the horse in the trial win but had to forgo his mounts at Hastings last Sunday so Vinnie Colgan was the replacement jockey.
Basarwa was hampered at the start and back third last on settling. He was under a ride and still a long way off the leaders coming to the home turn but, once Colgan got him to the outside in the straight, he finished the race off strongly to win by 1-1/4 lengths.
Basarwa is owned by prominent Wellington thoroughbred owner-breeder Lib Petanga and Masterton bloodstock agent Bruce Perry and they bred the horse out of the O'Reilly mare Kalahari Princess.
The horse's grandam was the Maroof mare Zoilus, who was the winner of five races in Australia.
Perry said this week that he and Patenga bought Kalahari Princess in-foal to Tavistock from Tim Bodle of Whakanui Stud.
They sold the resultant colt for $80,000 at the 2017 Karaka yearling sales to Australian-based trainer Trent Busuttin but the horse was injured and is unraced at this stage.
Basarwa is the only other living foal produced by Kalahari Princess, who has since been on-sold, and Perry and Patenga decided to race him together.
"We thought he wasn't going to make much at the sales so we might as well put him into work," Perry recalled.
Co-trainer Guy Lowry said Basarwa still has a lot to learn but shows plenty of potential and he and partner Grant Cullen are already planning some black type races for the horse.
"He will run next in either a 3-year-old set weights and penalties race over 1400m at Trentham on December 5 or a Rating 65 race over 1400m at Hastings four days later," Lowry said.
Providing the horse makes the necessary progress, he could then be aimed at the Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham in January.
Star Kiwi mare Melody Belle returned home from her hit-and-run raid to Melbourne on Thursday and will now have a three week spell before being prepared for what will be her last racing campaign.
Ridden by Melbourne Cup winning jockey Jye McNeil, Melody Belle added more Australian black-type to her CV with another game performance in finishing third behind Arcadia Queen and Fifty Stars in last Saturday's Group 1 $2million MacKinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
John Galvin, who manages the Melody Belle Fortuna Syndicate that owns the multiple New Zealand Horse of The Year and 12-time Group 1 winner, said connections were pleased with the Jamie Richards-trained mare's performance.
"Jye said she gave him a great ride in the race. He thought he was on the winner on the turn but she was just a bit flat-footed when the other two horses went past her.
"He said that if the track had been just a bit off that she would have had a better turn of foot."
Galvin said that, although the trip didn't pay-off in terms of a victory, it was certainly financially worthwhile with a further A$180,000 banked for third, taking the mare's total earnings to more than $4 million.
While there are no comparisons between Melody Belle and champion mare Sunline, the current day star would equal that great mare's Group 1 tally of 13 should she add another win at the elite level.
"Jamie and I have yet to discuss a clear set of plans for her, but our priorities will be to race her in New Zealand until we equal or surpass the 'Sunline Record' for Group 1 wins.
"The Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) is shaping as a nice Group 1 mission for her on February 13 and she would need a lead-up race.
He added that the Haunui Farm WFA (1600m) at Otaki or the Bonecrusher Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie could be other Group 1 assignments in the New Year.
After that an autumn swansong in Sydney could be on the cards, with the mare then destined to go up for sale at public auction.
Although she's sound and we think she could race on as a 7-year-old, she's had five full seasons of racing," Galvin said.
"She doesn't owe any of us a cent and we don't want her limping into retirement."
The daughter of Commands is raced by a 34-strong syndicate, with Waipukurau couple Trevor and Debbie Walters owning a 10 per cent share. She is sure to be a highly sought after broodmare upon retirement.
"It's been a great thrill for us all. I'm sure there's going to be a few tears in the eyes when she has her last race but she's brought so much pleasure to so many people," Galvin added.