Take stock West Otago

Nobody likes stock taking but the new owner of the Tapanui Four Square, Southland trainer and breeder Matt Saunders won’t mind counting the jelly beans today after a big result at the Menangle racetrack last night (Saturday).

Saunders and fellow West Otago breeder Graeme Edgar scored a notable double when Salty Robyn (bred by Saunders) beat close relation Stanley Ross Robyn (bred by Edgar) in the $50,000 Group Two Cordina Chicken Farm Hondo Grattan Stakes.

“He (Saunders) got in touch at 10 to 7 this morning so he was up and going. It’s take over day today at the shop so he’s busy stock taking,” said Edgar.

Both horses were bred and reared in Southland and share the same third dam Ryal Robyn.

Salty Robyn’s dam Holly Robyn (Live Or Die – Robyn's Treasure) was given to Saunders by Edgar in 2011 and a year later Salty Robyn was born.

“Matt did some work for me with the horses and he wanted to get started so I gave him the mare. You have to support the young ones coming through. Matt’s father and I were best mates and he worked in the area and Matt was born in Tapanui. He can take all the credit for the win. I just bred the mother.” 

Salty Robyn was sold to Australia in July 2015 as an unraced two year old. He’d won a workout at Ascot Park in September 2014 when driven by Andrew Armour.

Holly Robyn has since left Spike Robyn (Santanna Blue Chip) which was also sold to Australia but is an unraced three year old .She also has a Washington VC yearling filly and her latest foal is also a filly by Art Major.

In last night’s feature Salty Robyn sat parked beside leader Our Waikiki Beach for most of the 1609 metre trip with the leaders running their first 800 metres in 55.7 seconds.

Salty Robyn took the lead at the top of the straight and won easily in a time of 1-50.8 with Stanley Ross Robyn 5.3 metres back in second.

Stanley Ross Robyn came from four back on the inside, got off the running line just before the home straight and ran home nicely.

Salty Robyn has now won 15 races and his season is unbeaten in nine starts. Trained by Shane and Lauren Tritton, he's banked $168, 825 for his connections.

 “It was a big thrill. I stayed up and watched the race and I’ve watched it 100 times since,” said Edgar.

Stanley Ross Robyn was bred by Edgar and had five starts from Hamish Hunter’s Ryal Bush stable, winning his last two races before being sold to Australia. He’s had fifteen starts since; winning three. His biggest pay day was when he finished third in last year’s Group Two Queensland Derby won by Catcha Lefty.

“They’ve looked at Stanley Ross Robyn. I think he’ll do a good job over there. He’ll be good over any distance from a mile to two miles. One of the owners rang me after he’d won at Goulburn and said they had money on him at $150 to 1 in the Chariots.”

His dam Atomic Robyn (Soky’s Atom – Maree Robyn) is one of the last Soky’s Atom mares being bred from. Her first foal Our Lilly Robyn by Gotta Go Cullect qualified for Gore trainer Trevor Cross almost a year ago as a five year old. According to Edgar ‘she’s got her mother’s temperament’ and Cross has got her in foal to Washington VC.

Atomic Robyn also has a two year old by Washington VC.

“He’s not far away. He’s at Hamish Hunters. The mare's not in foal.”

Maree Robyn is a full sister to New Zealand Oaks and DB Fillies Final winner Robyn’s Treasure. Edgar and Gore trainer Ross Wilson owned the Son Of Afella mare.

Stanley Ross Robyn who is named after Wilson (Stanley Ross Wilson) is the mares’ second foal. Her latest foal is a filly by Art Major.

 

Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing