Brilliant Breeders Crown victory for The Pres

Harness racing stallion The Pres hit the headlines again yesterday when his 2-year-old daughter Renezmae waltzed away with the A$90,000 Group 1 Breeders Crown Final at Tabcorp Park in Melton.

Making just her third appearance across the Tasman this campaign, Renezmae followed up a third-place finish in the Group 1 Redwood Classic on August 6 and a Breeders Crown Heat win 11 days later with a completely dominant performance, leading from the outset and not giving any of her rivals a look in.

The filly won by almost 12 metres, sprinting home in 29.7 and 29.2 on a rain-sodden surface to record 2:50 for the 2240m journey. Her 10 lifetime starts to date have now yielded three wins and as many placings, and she'll soon return home to New Zealand with $55,000 in Australian prizemoney to add to the $13,804 she'd already won before she left.

The victory credited Renezmae's young trainer Jack Harrington with his first Group 1 success and gave him his first Crown trophy for the cabinet – but in less than three minutes the filly also achieved the exact same accolades for her breeder and former owner, Michelle Caig.

Watching the Super Sunday coverage from her home in Winton at the bottom of the South Island, Michelle rode every step of the Breeders Crown Final with Renezmae and is still buzzing 24 hours later.

"I'm exhausted," she said with a smile.

"But no, there's just a tremendous amount of self-satisfaction when you achieve something like this and I'm very proud."

Renezmae is out of the Lindy Lane mare City Lane, who won seven races herself and had already left the good performer Saratoga (12 NZ & Aus wins, $101k) prior to Michelle purchasing her off Bill and Jean Feiss.

Now that City Lane's second winner is looking like she'll reach even greater heights, Michelle casts her mind back to what stood out about the filly from a very early age.

"She was never very big, but even as a foal I was just so impressed with her confirmation and hind quarters – they were those of a trotter," Michelle recalled.

"And I remember when I was getting her 'prettied up' for the pre-Sales photographs… she was a real poser and stood perfectly, it was like she already had a 3-year-old trotter's backside."

Remarkably, the Aus$45,000 that Renezmae won yesterday could've been anyone's because the filly was passed in at the 2016 NZ Premier Yearling Sale.

"I only had an $8000 reserve on her," Michelle said.

"Jean (Feiss) even came to the stalls afterwards and said, 'don't worry, this filly will be okay because City Lane had electric speed herself'.

"And she's right, because when City Lane fair boots it down the paddock it's not in a canter – she does it trotting.

"So I think Renezmae definitely got some speed from both her sire and dam… that day when she led and won at Ashburton after starting from nine at the barrier was amazing!"

A couple of ownership changes have transpired since this filly was 'unwanted' at the Yearling Sales, of course.

Having taken Renezmae home again, Michelle wanted to offer a half-share in the filly to someone in return for training her and says Jack Harrington was an easy choice.

"I liked Jack because he was a young guy starting out, his parents were supportive, plus he had great manners and communication skills; whenever I texted him about something, he'd always ring back straight away and to me that was refreshing.

"Jack broke Renezmae in, and after a couple of preps she was down to running quarters in thirty-six which was pretty good for a baby trotter."

The promise Renezmae was showing at home obviously didn't end there, because  late last year he was on the phone to Michelle again, wanting to buy her out.

Like a lot of people in the industry, Michelle breeds a handful of mares each season and regardless of the whatever results she achieves at the Yearling Sales, feed bills and all the other associated costs still need to be paid.

So she let her half-share go, and despite the talent Renezmae has shown ever since she debuted in March this year, Michelle doesn't regret the decision one bit.

"No not at all – I'm rapt for Jack and all the other new owners; yesterday's victory was still the biggest of thrills for me.

"And I even get a trophy too," she beamed.

Harnesslink Media