NZ HARNESS NEWS

After being left with a case of wondering what might have been a few hours earlier, Ashburton owners Alan and Ian Neumann ended Cup Day on the right note when The Brooklyn Brawler fought his way to success in the last race of the day.

The three-year-old pacer was on the emergency list for the $170,000 Sires Stakes Final earlier on in the day and the Neumann boys could only watch on as Chase Auckland won the final from the very spot in which their horse would have been.

“We needed that scratching to get in, I know, but we would have been on King Of Swing’s back throughout, just like Chase Auckland was,” Alan said.

“We might not have won, but we would have been right up there with them because he’s such a good stayer I think.”

That took a bit to watch, but the disappointment was quickly wiped out when The Brooklyn Brawler sat parked outside Bettor Trix, blew her away at the top of the straight and then fought best to win in a tight finish from Gentle Giant and Mac Almighty.

Sitting in the stand, Neumann thought he’d run second.

“My son, Vinnie said we’d won, and I didn’t agree with him.”

“So, when the result came through it was a pretty great feeling.”

The win came with some further mixed emotions though with The Brooklyn Brawler sold to Melbourne and Tuesday was his last race for the Neumanns.

He’s been purchased by Philip Waters, and the offers were coming in thick and fast.

“We didn’t really want to sell him to be honest, but they kept coming back with higher offers and it got to the point where we couldn’t really say no.

“I think he will do a great job over there; he’s a very good stayer.”

The Brooklyn Brawler leaves New Zealand as the winner of three from 13 starts and more than $40,000 in stakes.

Incidentally, Tuesday’s win wasn’t the first win for the Neumann’s in the last race on Cup Day with their former open class pacer, Mach Banner also winning the same race.

“I was in India when he won that race, so to be there this time was great.”

The fun might not have stopped either with more action coming before the end of the week.

The Neumann name is prominent in the ownership of the promising De Lancome, who will do battle at Thursday’s Ashburton Trotting Club meeting.

Also trained by the Dunn stable, the daughter of former quality pacing mare Lancome was a tidy fourth fresh up and shouldn’t be far away from the action.

Then on Friday it will be back to Addington where the hopes will be pinned on talented trotter, Agatha Tyron, who races from the Patrick O’Reilly stable.

“We could end up having a decent week if everything goes to plan.”

No matter what happens though, nothing will top winning on harness racing’s biggest day.

HRNZ

 

 

 

 

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