Mid season report - Brett Gray

Bruce Stewart Journalist

We’re halfway through the 2023 harness racing season and Bruce Stewart talks to Southern trainers about their plans, some of their better performed horses and some that are on ‘the watch list’.

This time we talk to Ryal Bush trainer Brett Gray.

Peregrine (Pegasus Spur) 31-7-10-7   $95,702

Peregrine

“She’ll be back in work by the end of the month. I’ll be picking her up next week and she’ll be racing late spring. She’s up there in the grades now and we’ll probably have a look at a couple of the big races like the Dominion. There’ll be no hiding this year.”

Sodoyahavtime (Art Major) 2-0-0-1 $5,700

Sodoyahavtime

“He and Murray ‘s (Murray Little) other two year old Wehavtime, (Art Major) are jogging at the moment. Sodoyahavtime is paid up for the Sires Stakes races, so we’ll find out if he’s good enough. But he’s a nice horse and I really like him.”

Betta Watch Out (He’s Watching) 10-3-0-1 $28,488

Betta Watch Out

“She’ll come back at the beginning of Summer. There’s not much around for four year old mares. There are more races for them after Christmas.”

One More Moment (Majestic Son) 8-3-0-1   $18,282

“She won three in a row (May-June 2022). She’s doing fast work at the moment. She’s had near to a year off but she’s coming up nice.”

Joes Rock (Racing Hill) 26-6-8-4   $87,495

Joes Rock

“There’s a few twenty thousand dollar races and Cup Week for her. We may look at going to Auckland and even Australia. She’ll be better catered for in Australia. She’s also coming back in to work at the end of the month.”

Always Ticking (Always B Miki) 3-1-2-0   $21,050

Always Ticking 

“She’s been out at the Symons (owners) and is going to be out for a bit longer than Joes Rock. Because she’s not paid up for anything (Sires Stakes) she’ll be racing after Cup Week.

Julie Jaccka (Father Patrick) 9-2-1-2   $17,316

Julie Jaccka

“Charlie (owner Charlie Smaill) is going to start working her. She’s a lovely trotter and I think she’ll improve. She just got a wee bit crook at the end (of her campaign).”

On the watch list:

Tycoon Banner (Art Major). 

“He qualified last month. He’s a half to Mainland Banner (Christian Cullen) and a full brother to Titan Banner. He’s owned by Errol Forde and Johnny Flynn. He got a cold so we turned him out but he’ll come back into work shortly.”

Stillyourshot (Gold Ace)

“He ran second the other day (Invercargill) and got a cold as well. So we’ll give him a bit of a let up. I quite like him. He’ll be racing early.”