Galleons Honour pair provide thrills for Smith

CHRISTCHURCH: Invercargill lawyer Lester Smith’s broodmare, Galleons Honour, has taken him on a brilliant recent ride.

Her Bettor’s Delight 2yrold, Rise Above This, scored a debut win at Winton on Saturday.

Last week, her older halfbrother, the 3yrold Duke Of Wellington, won at Ascot Park.

Both are trained at Winton by Lauren Pearson and driven by her partner, Brent Barclay.

‘‘I’m not sure how long I’ve been training for Lester but it’s quite a few years,’’ Pearson said.

‘‘I’ve had a good number of winners but Lester is a seller and they can be sold at any stage.’’

Pearson said Smith’s mares resided in Northern Southland at Macca Lodge and at weaning time the foals arrive at her place for handling. From then on, they commute between there and Macca.

She has eight in work and just the two for Smith.

‘‘They’re both the same at home, playful, have a good attitude, laid back but wake up on race day,’’ Pearson said.

‘‘Rise Above This had two preps as a yearling but wasn’t really tried.

‘‘She came back in November and wasn’t showing anything at home until her first workout.’’

That was in February, the start of an unbeaten winning sequence for the daughter of Bettor’s Delight from three workouts, two trials and now a race.

Pearson felt the preferential barrier draw for fillies helped yesterday and she would prefer to look for races with similar conditions in the near future rather than take the next 2yrold race available.

Duke Of Wellington, by American Ideal, did not race at 2 but has won three of his eight starts this season and a fourth is his worst result.

‘‘He’ll race next week then the Supremacy a week later,’’ Pearson, who has only had one previous starter in the group 2 feature, said.

Canterbury visitor Spirit Of Delight, trained by former southerner Regan Todd, came with the last run for driver Samantha Ottley to pick up the Southern Belle Speed Series final.

‘‘We stayed out of early rush, got back further than I thought we would but she still had that wicked sprint,’’ Ottley said.

A nonwinner after 12 North Island starts, Spirit Of Delight had her first run for Todd in June last year and has now won four of 12.

‘‘I drive her on the beach for Regan. I’ve won three on her now,’’ Ottley said.

Todd’s initial employer Brendon McLellan won the Equine Stakes at Winton in December on New Year’s Eve to qualify her for today’s final.

Mighty Conqueror backed up his debut win last week to win a 2400m graduation final in 2:55.6 on Saturday.

His trainers, Mark and Debbie Shirley, are now considering him for the group 2 Southern Supremacy in a fortnight.

The Winton Businesses Cup was won by the Ken and Tony Barrontrained Royal Bengal. — NZ Harness News