Scintillating Show Day Showcasing the Standardbred Breed

For those lucky enough to witness it live, Show Day 2025 may well go down as one of the greatest collective days of harness racing this country has seen. Under warm Canterbury skies and on a beautifully prepared track – a stark contrast to the slushy conditions at Ashburton the day prior – the scene was perfectly set for fast times, fierce competition, and a procession of elite performances from the sport’s brightest talents.

From the moment Tactical Bid overcame an early break to storm home in a 1:59.9 MR for the 1980m mobile in Race 1, the tone was set. The Bob Butt–trained 4YO is from the first crop of the emerging trotting sire Tactical Landing, a son of Muscle Hill, and out of the unraced Habibti Sadie (Pegasus Spur – Ten To One), making the mare a half-sister to Habibi Inta (11 wins) and the multiple Group 1–winning mare Habibti (16 wins), who is now proving her worth at stud. Connections of Tactical Bid believe he is an open-class trotter in waiting.

The Australian assault began early, with the Brent Lilley–trained Kyvalley Ray (Bold Eagle – Kenny’s Dream) sitting parked throughout the G1 Sires Stakes Championship for 2YO trotters and proving too strong for a brave pacemaker Petite Amour. The time – 2:24.7 (MR 1:57.5) with an 800m in 57.2 – was a national record for the trip and a sign of what was still to come. To think that our 2YO trotters are now capable of running times once reserved exclusively for pacers is nothing short of phenomenal. From the renowned “Kenny” family, Kyvalley Ray was a $100,000 purchase at the 2024 Christchurch Yearling Sales when offered by Bev Williamson. A notable statistic for breeders: all seven runners in the race were by seven different trotting stallions, but three were from Love You mares.

Staying on the Love You theme, the Listed Ascent saw another dominant display from Australian interests, with Tracy Jet (Love You – Cyclone Jeter) showing exceptional gate speed to lead and never look back, scoring in yet another national record time: 2:23.7 (MR 1:56.7) with an 800m in 58.1. The exciting filly has now won nine of just 14 starts. Her future as a broodmare is assured. Her dam Cyclone Jeter won 10 races and is a half or full sister to eight other winners, including Jewels champion Cyclone U Bolt (12 wins, $230k) and Glenferrie Typhoon (36 wins, $561k). Three other siblings were $100k+ earners, underscoring the depth behind this filly.

The pacers wasted no time making their presence felt. All Of Me (Downbytheseaside – Dream About Me) produced a commanding front-running performance to win the G1 Sires Stakes Final for 2YO fillies at just her fifth start. Her winning time of 2:21.8 (MR 1:55.2) and final 800m in 56.3 further highlighted the refinement and speed of the modern standardbred. Bred “in the purple” from arguably the most commercial family in the stud book, her dam was a millionaire mare who won 25 of 43 starts, paced 1:50.1, and has produced five foals for five fillies. It is a family destined to remain in lights for generations. Sire Downbytheseaside continues to assert himself as a legitimate heir-apparent to ageing giants like Bettor’s Delight and Art Major.

Although Australian connections were proudly claiming Gus (NZ Trotting FFA, G1) as one of their own, everyone knows his grounding was laid in the south by Nathan Williamson. From the brilliant yet lightly raced multiple Group-winning mare Kylie Ree (four wins from just 11 starts), Williamson has nurtured a family that is now a legitimate modern force. Still owned by the Williamson family, Kylie Ree’s six foals are all winners, amassing 47 victories between them, with Gus now clearly the standout. On Show Day, he started from the unruly, gave our best trotters a start, sat parked outside favourite Jilliby Ballerini, and still proved too strong over the final 200 metres — an elite display from a rising star.

But the race of the day – perhaps the race of the season – came next. A genuine “race for the ages” saw Got The Chocolates produce a breathtaking performance, racing wide early, then parked, and eventually out-staying his main rival Marketplace. The winning time of 2:17.6 (MR 1:51.8) with an 800m in 53.9 was astonishing and yet another national record. For context, Australian superstar Leap To Fame only had to go 2:20 to win the FFA one race later.

A $90,000 purchase at the 2023 Christchurch Yearling Sales for Robert Dunn when offered by Rosedale Farm (then named Treadstone), the Art Major – Kate Black gelding has now won nine of 23 starts and over $530,000, with plenty more to come. His dam Kate Black won four races and is out of Auckland Cup heroine Kate’s First (19 wins, $624k), herself a half-sister to the mighty Christian Cullen. While Kate’s First has yet to leave one as good as herself, great families often reinvent themselves — Got The Chocolates looks like the next iteration.

Thursday’s impressive Ashburton winner Jessie Owens is also closely related to Got The Chocolates, further demonstrating how elite families tend to keep resurfacing.

The cream truly rose to the top across the programme, with each major winner boasting pedigree depth and quality that matched their racetrack performance. And all this without even considering “Larry” — Leap To Fame — and the commanding presence of the Australian raiders who collected four victories on the day. They looked to have the Kiwi number all week, and results like this will only encourage even more trans-Tasman participation at our showpiece Carnival.

And that, surely, can only be a good thing… can’t it?