Late wedding present for honeymooning trainer

Bruce Stewart Journalist

Swannanoa trainer Ross Houghton just recently got married and he and his new wife Trinity were on course at Ascot Park today, to see the Houghton trained filly Validation (Bettor’s Delight) win the $40,000 G3 Caduceus Club of Southland/Alabar Fillies Classic.

Ross and Trinity have been travelling around the South Island in their campervan and had sent the filly down to Wyndham trainer Craig Ferguson.

“We thought we’d have a week off and this is a nice way to top it off,” Ross said.

Validation was bred by Sam Langrope and is out of the Tintin In America mare Dana Delany. It’s a great filly’s family that has produced Stylish Memphis and Delightful Memphis. Delightful Memphis won this race in 2016.

“She went through the Sales and never got a bid like her brother Incentivise the year before. Robert (Famularo – Dancingonmoonlight) brought her back and put her through my programme to get two year olds up and going. She used to like to put the boot in, but not now. She’s a lovely filly to do anything.”

In today’s fillies feature Validation had the advantage of being the only horse to have started in a race. Driver Craig Ferguson took that to full advantage as well as her draw at one and rushed her to the lead.

“She put in a rough one going past the winning post but she’s had experience - four or five trials and a race. The rest of the horses were having their first start.”

There was some early trouble going into the first bend which split the field in two, but the Houghton trained filly was always travelling and Ferguson opened her up at the 600. She coasted down to the line to win by eight lengths from Aallyah with a further three lengths back to Baileys Beauty.

“She’s probably better coming off the back of a horse. She’s got a real good turn of speed.  Once the other ones start to get better there will be times when we’ll have to drive her in behind.”

Houghton is known for getting his two year olds up and running early and is surprised that other trainers have not cottoned on to the change of season for juvenile racing.

“They change the season for trainers to get their two year olds up and going after Christmas. No trainers are doing it. There’s no real big incentive to do it down here (Canterbury). Up north there’s the Young Guns. Down here (in Southland) you’ve got the Caduceus and the $100,000 Diamond Creek. I love the two years olds. It’s exciting and the unknown. That’s what I like about getting them up and going early.”