Shards Matrix wins Sapling

It was a local win in today’s time honoured $45,000 Group Two Rakaia Seed Cleaning Sapling Stakes, with Shards Matrix (Sweet Lou) winning for Ashburton harness racing trainers Brent and Tim White.

SHARDS MATRIX REPLAY

“I was really happy with the trial for both Shards Matrix and Commander Joe (Art Major) ten days ago. It was a 57 mile rate and both the girls (drivers Sarah O’Reilly and Kimberley Butt) came back pretty happy. When Commander Joe got to the top and rolled them along I thought it would be hard for anything to come from the back,” said Brent White.

That was the way things worked out. Commander Joe and Kimberly Butt led with favourite A Little Silence (Downbytheseaside) trailing, and Shards Matrix three back on the fence. Just as A Little Silence got to Commander Joe, Shards Matrix came up the passing lane to spoil the party, winning by half a length.

“He’s (Commander Joe) going to be a nice horse in six months. He kept them honest, whereas the other fella’s got sheer speed so it worked in his favour.”

The win was a feature double for Woodlands Stud based stallion Sweet Lou.

“I love them. You can’t beat them. Graeme Anderson told me to buy this one. I was battling to buy one and I had him marked and I looked at his comments. I told him I was buying, not him. That’s the way it happened (laughter).”

White paid $30,000 for Shards Matrix at the 2022 NZB Bloodstock Yearling Sales in Christchurch and the ownership group is made up of people from Mid Canterbury, Otago and Canterbury.

“We bought this fella and a trotter (Sheila Laxon) which we really like. She’s due to come back in now. They’ve all got twenty five percent shareholding in the two horses. I’ll keep having the owners on that he’d be a nice horse to take to Nelson but I don’t think they’ll let me. No, we’ll give him a spell now and then we’ll go again.”

Sheila Laxon is by Muscle Mass out of Ethereal whose second dam is Solar Fire. (Yankee Reb) She won eighteen races and took away just over $500,000 in stakes.

Stable driver Sarah O’Reilly drove Shards Matrix for the Whites in today’s juvenile feature.

“She’s a lady of few words but she said he went nice (laughter).”

This is the first time the father and son combination have had a runner in the Sapling Stakes.

“It’s just sad Tim’s not here. He’s got his family in Brisbane on holiday. The partnership is working out well, we all get on well and the whole team does their thing. The owners have been great too giving the girls (Sarah and Kimberly) their chances.”

Earlier in the day another product of the Shard production line, Shards Fury, (Changeover) won in the hands of Sam Thornley. The seven year old was one of the last foals out of Sly Shard (Panorama). Sly Shard was one of the foundation mares for Debbie and Mark Smith of Shard Farm.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink