Bang! First Win for New Season

Champion trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergeron were underway for the new season when Not Straight Laced (4 m Turn Me Loose – Clos De Tart, by Darci Brahma) recorded a dominant victory in the $20,000 Elmwood Trading Co Maiden 1200 metres on 7 August at Riccarton.

The training partners established the second highest win tally (169) in NZ history last season, which included 63 wins in the South Island, after Walker set a new record of 203 the year beforehand. They almost commenced the season with a stakes' win when Freeze Frame (Vadamos) was beaten by a not even a nose in the Group 3 Winter Cup over 1600m last Saturday at Riccarton.

She was a worthy favourite on the back of four good efforts in this campaign, including three placings. Having done well after missing the start last time, Not Straight Laced made no similar mistake on this occasion.

Beginning well from barrier two and settling three back on the inner for jockey Lily Sutherland, Not Straight Laced was pocketed behind runners turning for home, but once clear inside the 300m she powered up to claim the leader and went away to score easily.

“It was a really good ride by Lily (Sutherland) - a pick up ride as senior rider Craig Grylls was delayed by airport fog in the north,” said Walker, from the course. 

“Hunter (Durrant) and the team at our stables down here have done a great job with this mare. 

“She can be unpredictable and handful in track work, including breaking Hunter’s hand, so it's a well deserved win for his persistence in working with her.

“We’re hoping that with time and maturity she can settle down a bit more mentally, but the team down South are doing an excellent job with her and been very patient.” 

Winning by one and three-quarter lengths, she ran 1200 metres in 1:09.9 on the poly track, and paid $2.50 on the NZ TAB tote. 

Bred and owned by Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM, Glenn and Catherine Holmes and Cheryl Renouf, Not Straight Laced is out of Clos De Tart, whom David Ellis CNZM purchased as a yearling at Karaka. The dual winning mare has now left three individual winners, including stakes' placed Shameless Tart (Shamexpress).

Owned and bred by the same connections, Off To The Nunnery (Turn Me Loose) was also a tough winner early in her career. 

Clos De Tart was out of impressive winner Rapid Kay (Towkay), who recorded five victories from 1300m to 1600m and also placed third on two occasions at Group One level.

Trained by Mark Walker at Te Akau stables in Matamata, Rapid Kay remained etched in the mind of David Ellis after beating his future Champion Three-Year-Old and Horse of the Year King’s Chapel (King of Kings) in the Canterbury Stakes (Listed, 1600m) at Riccarton. 

Ellis subsequently secured Clos De Tart for $70,000 at the 2011 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Little Avondale Stud, for a group of racing ladies. 

He was also the buyer of dam-sire Darci Brahma (Danehill), a five-time Group One winner and Champion Sire, which provided Clos De Tart with a cross of immortal sire Northern Dancer through her sire lines and genetically a family that has produced some athletically talented racehorses and plenty of winners.

Grand-dam Rapid Kay (Towkay) left five winners of 18 races, including nine-time winner Ekklestone (Darci Brahma). While second dam, Racing Waters (Racing Is Fun), a stakes' placed winner of three races, left six winners of 18 races, including Rapid Kay and dual stakes' winner Kekova (Elusive City). 

Not Straight Laced was strapped Naomi Warrander.

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz