Baynes continues family tradition in the Kindie

Bruce Stewart Journalist

The Baynes name has been associated with the Kindergarten Stakes for a long time. And Browns trainer Des Baynes will maintain the family tradition on Sunday when he presents a runner in the $60,000 Group Two Macca Lodge Kindergarten Stakes.

As an owner, in 1972 Des won the race with Young Quinn, who was trained by his father Bud.

Bud has an outstanding record in the two year old feature, winning with Girl Friend in 1971, Young Quinn 1972, Lord Manhattan 1982 and Tricky Dick in 1992.

Guess What (Vincent) will be Des’s first runner as a trainer in the time honoured feature. He debuted with Blair Orange on board at Gore last Thursday and was coming home late for a close second to Fanfare.

“He’s a really nice horse to work with. When you have Blair on board and he comes back in he can always tell you something.  He just said everything went good. The horse got a good draw at Gore to get in a good position. He did everything right and I suspect the same will happen at Wyndham. It’s good to have a horse in the race but I didn’t start my horse just to have a horse in it. He’s got a bit of ability and I think he’ll aquit himself alright,” Baynes said.

Baynes also starts Ammolite (Art Major) in the third heat of the Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes.

“He’s quite a good horse but he gets onto a knee pretty badly. I’ve been trying a lot of things to get him off his knee but I still haven’t succeeded and he’s not where I exactly want him. He’s a lot better than he used to be. I really had to start him on the mile track just to see how he goes. I think he’ll be alright around the Wyndham track.”

The $40,000 Group Three Kubala Seeds Champagne Stakes sees the Baynes colours been worn by Snap Shot (American Ideal).

“I just had a look through that field this morning and the Wyndham Club should be congratulated for putting the race on. Beach Day, a home-grown mare is racing for $40,000 on her home track and I think that’s terrific. There’s some real good mares in the race. Most of these fillies and mares races have been on preferential draw and I’ve just been sticking to those with Snap Shot. You end up drawing one, two or three and racing handy all the time and it suits her. She’s not in the class of some of those real good ones. She’s just a handy mare.”

Kindergarten Stakes - the History

• The inaugural Kindergarten Stakes in 1961 raced for a stake of $1,350 and it attracted a field of eleven two year olds. Lordship was the first winner.
• Many of the race’s winners have gone on to be among the best standardbreds this country has seen; the likes of Lordship, Tactile, Matai Dreamer, Holy Hal, Young Quinn, Master Mood, Honkin Vision, Akuta and Don’t Stop Dreaming.
• As a trainer Mark Purdon’s name is on the honours board fourteen times. His first win was with So Cool in 2002. In the last eleven years he’s trained nine of the winners.
• The last Southland trained horse to win the race was Le Sol in 2010 trained by Tony Stratford.
• The race record of 1-53.3 is held by 2018 winner War Dan Delight.
• 1968 hosted the largest field when fifteen juveniles lined up with Local Choice winning for trainer Reg Stockdale and driver Kenny Balloch.
• Only three fillies have won the race; Kildare Kate (1963), Girl Friend (1971) and Bionic Chance (1986).
• Blair Orange is the race’s most successful reinsman, winning six.
• Bettor’s Delight is the leading sire of Kindergarten Stakes winners, with six.