Numbers Adding Up for Christchurch Accountant

The stylish victory of Strikem in the $26,000 Queensland Derby/Oaks Consolation at Albion Park last Saturday added another rewarding chapter to the impressive breeding journey of Christchurch accountant and hobby breeder Robin Wah and his wife Gwenda.

The Art Major gelding, bred in partnership with close friends David and Adrienne Shadbolt, was sold through the 2023 NZB National Yearling Sale in Christchurch for a healthy $65,000. It marked yet another return on investment for a family whose involvement in the sport spans three decades.

Robin’s introduction to harness racing came by way of a client — none other than Vic Smith, the breeder of champion racemare Armalight.

“Vic knew I was interested in racing and offered me an Andrel gelding named Thrashem,” Robin recalls. “I raced him with some friends and he ended up winning five races for us before we sold him to Australia.”

The association didn’t end there. Vic later approached Robin again with an opportunity to breed from a close relative to Armalight, a mare called Elizabeth Denover.

“I bred her to Holmes Hanover, and that’s how we got Crushem,” he said.

Crushem won a race in the care of trainer Dean Taylor, who encouraged Robin to retain the mare for breeding. That decision would prove life-changing.

Crushem produced six winners and gained fame as the dam of 2019 Miracle Mile champion, Spankem — the NZ Horse of the Year and a three-time NZ Cup placegetter.

“Spankem is definitely the best horse I’ve bred,” Robin said. “He won just under $2 million and took out a good number of Group races.”

Crushem’s progeny also included the NZ and WA Listed winner Thumpem, prolific Albion Park performer Stompem, and Melton winners Sluggem and My Sunday Girl.

Her final foal, a full brother to Spankem, had shown great promise and was back in work with Mark Purdon when tragedy struck.

“He’d had two preps and was about to return to Mark, who had a good opinion of him,” Robin explained. “But he broke a leg in a paddock accident. It took a bit of the gloss off horse racing for me for a wee while.”

The Wahs now continue the family line through Ima Single Girl, an unraced daughter of Crushem by Bettor’s Delight.

“We kept her to race, but unlike her brother Spankem, she was a bit highly strung,” Robin said.

So far, Ima Single Girl has produced three foals of racing age, including Rakero Ice, a five-race winner with success at Menangle, and Strikem, now a triple winner. Her next offering is a filly by Art Major named Ima Working Girl, who will be entered in the Christchurch yearling sales in February.

“She’s also tested positive to Always B Miki, so we’re excited about what lies ahead.”

The numbers certainly seem to be adding up for this Canterbury couple — both in the ledger and on the racetrack.