Among all the industry heavyweights a hobby trainer will be on debut at the 2025 National Standardbred Weanling Sales at Karaka on Thursday, June 26.
The usual suspects – Alabar, Macca Lodge and Woodlands Stud – dominate the sale numerically but that’s not phasing Waikato-based Brendon Laidlaw.
“I just want to give it a go and hopefully it will be the start of something,” says Laidlaw.
He will offer up Lot 1086, a bay filly by Ultimate Machete out of Asuka.
“She has good conformation and seems to have a bit of attitude about her,” says Laidlaw.
“She’s a weanling so I’m not expecting a fortune but I won’t be giving her away.”
Asuka, a four-race winner for Barry Purdon, was out of the Group 1-winning Lizzie Maguire. She won 12 races including the 2008 Northern Oaks and the 2YO Diamond at the 2007 Harness Jewels at Ashburton.
Asuka was bred by Rosslands Stud at Clevedon and returned there when she was retired. She has since produced six foals, the first five at Rosslands Stud and then Woodlands Stud.
Her progeny include Jack The Builder (American Ideal – Asuka) who won four from five before injury forced his retirement and four-year-old Bazooka (Bettor’s Delight – Asuka), who has won five from 14 for Steven Reid.
“She’s a half to Bazooka and the fact that he’s going so well is great for us .. hopefully that will create a bit of interest.”
Laidlaw was given Asuka by owner Marilyn Hoggard who he knew well from his days working with Gareth Dixon at Rosslands Farm.
“She was keen for her to go to a good home,” says Laidlaw,” and I had the mare for a year and then put her to foal.”
The filly is his first foray into breeding.
Brendon followed his brother Kendall Laidlaw into the sport. He was a trainer-driver in New Zealand before heading to Australia. A farrier by trade he’s based in Western Australia where he recently trained the winner of June’s Trotters Cup in Pinjara with Betty Bootz Off.
Brendon Laidlaw trains only a small team at Cambridge Raceway around his full-time job as a fencing contractor.
One of his team Mr Miki, a four-year-old Always B Miki gelding he co-owns, is not far away from heading to the races for the first time.
Right now though the rookie horse breeder is hoping months of preparation and expectation will reap rewards in the ring.
“You’ve got to be making money to press on but it (racing) is something we love – it’s a bug isn’t it?”