Bits N Bridles

Irwell trainer John Versteeg was back in the winner’s circle at Addington on Sunday when Bullet (Superfast Stuart) won his first race.

Versteeg’s last winner was Penelope Hall at Rangiora almost two years ago.

He’s held a trainer licence since 1985 and has had some good horses through the stable, including Givethejobtobarnsy, Hohneck, Agile and Super Lumberman who all won five.

However his best horse has been Good Mate which won nine.

He also developed quality mare Pipes Of Pan which won three for Versteeg and a further ten for Mark Purdon.

Talented trotter Golden Solitaire (En Solitaire) has been transferred from Robert and Jenna Dunn’s stable to Warren Stapleton’s barn at Rakaia.

Golden Solitaire was purchased out of the 2023 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales for $95,000 and had three starts as a three year old, winning at Ashburton in August 2025.

His dam One Over Kenny won thirty two races and over $1,000,000.

Stapleton is a master at resurrecting trotters who’ve had issues, the best example being Cedar Fella which won seven races for Bryce Buchanan before going amiss.

Stapleton patched him up and won a further ten with the gelding including the 1997 New Zealand Trotting FFA and 1998 Dominion.

Another of the progeny of Muscle Hill – stallion Elite Stride qualified this week.

SBSR filly Ella Elite (Elite Stride) got her ticket at Ashburton on Wednesday.

Ella Elite was bred by Michelle Caig of Winton and is the second foal out of Shes Like The Wind, a Majestic Son granddaughter of Dominion and Rowe Cup winner Merinai.

She was purchased by Colin and Julie De Filippi for $7,000 at the 2024 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales.

Elite Stride who stands at Alabar Farm has fifty three foals on the ground in New Zealand with the oldest progeny being three. He has left three winners so far – Who’s Ya Daddy (2), Katelin (1) and Monarch Muscle (1).

Quality pacer Wag Star (Sweet Lou) will do his future racing out of Bob Butt’s stable.

The eight win pacer was developed by Wyndham trainer Craig Ferguson where he won just over $180,000.

The gelding has recorded a number of feature race placings – second in the Methven Cup, Superstars Championship and Southern Supremacy Stakes and third in two Uncut Gems and the Invercargill and Northern Southland Cups.

As a R78 pacer there are very few racing opportunities in the south for Wag Star.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink