Bargain filly going places
Murray Neal has an eye for a talented filly.
The affable Raumati Beach horseman has travelled the world educating and training young thoroughbreds but his return to New Zealand several years ago gave him th chance to put his hardearned to good use.
The fruits of his judgement could reach new heights in the Group I Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni today.
Carrying Neal’s hopes in the $225,000 race will be Joyfilly.
The Joyfilly story began many years ago when Neal, a budding apprentice jockey who outgrew his chosen profession, worked for his uncle Don Sellwood ‘‘a master horseman’’ who had a high class galloper named Mun Lee in his stable.
‘‘We used to call her The Filly,’’ Neal said.
On his return from breaking-in horses in Japan, Neal invested in an in-foal mare.
Bayline Beauty was carrying a positive test to Ishguru when he parted with $3800.
The positive test turned into the highly talented racehorse Neal named The Filly in memory of Mun Lee.
The Filly won 10 of her 47 starts and a further 19 placings swelled her career earnings to more than $260,000.
The Filly’s career highlight came with her victory in the Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes in a result that provided Neal with a double dose of satisfaction.
‘‘That was where it all began for me all those years ago at Hawera,’’ he said.
‘‘I started my apprenticeship there with Brian Deacon.’’
When Neal sold her for a handsome price to Australia as a broodmare he took his time finding a replacement.
He marked a few in his book at the 2016 Karaka Festival Yearling Sale and ran the pedigrees past respected veterinarian Kem Keene.
‘‘Kem said he had her marked as a standout and he’s one of the best vets in New Zealand racing history,’’ Neal said.
That was all the encouragement he needed to part with $10,000 of his The Filly profits to buy the South Island-bred daughter of Highly Recommended and When The Cats Away.
‘‘She was well structured and well put together,’’ Neal said. ‘‘I bought her for Mark’’. Mark, is popular Cambridge jockey Mark Hills who rode The Filly 19 times and struck up a lasting friendship with Neal who owned and trained the horse.
‘‘He’s a wonderful man,’’ Neal said.
Neal broke-in, but doesn’t train Joyfilly.
He gave Cambridge trainer Chris Wood a piece of the action to take care of that while he works on construction of the new Transmission Gully motorway part of the Wellington northern corridor.
‘‘He’s a very good horseman and Mark does a lot of his riding.’’
It was easy to find a name for Joyfilly.
‘‘Because I got so much joy out of The Filly I called Joyfilly,’’ he said.
Awapuni will erupt with joy if things go to plan for the ‘‘good little horse’’ who jumps from gate 13 in the Sires.
‘‘We’ll all be there - the family will be on course and my brother will be down from Cambridge - we’ll be in for a big, old day if she wins.’’ this one
❚ An awkward gate may be the only barrier to success for the promising Gorbachev at Awapuni tomorrow.
Trainer Bryce Newman sees the wide alley as the gelding’s biggest problem in the Group III Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic.
‘‘It’s a short run to the first corner from the starting point so I’m not sure where we’ll end up,’’ Newman said.
‘‘E won’t be rushing him up from the start.
‘‘He showed at Trentham last time out that he’s still green and didn’t run straight but if he’s on the rail he’s fine.
‘‘He’s still very much a work in progress, he’s still got some growing up to do both mentally and physically.’’
Gorbachev has won two of his six starts with a defeat of the older horses over ground at Wanganui two runs back preceding an excellent effort for third over 2500m in the Listed New Zealand St Leger.
‘‘Obviously, we’re in strong three-year-old company and we’re back to 2000 metres, but he’s very well,’’ Newman said.
‘He can run on a wet track so he’ll be taking his chance.’’