by Frank Marrion, courtesy Harness Express
The recent burst of form from Lottie’s Moment has been a reminder as to the tragic passing of Katie Cox last year.
Cox bred the four-year-old daughter of Majestic Son and raced her briefly in the spring of 2023, when she was placed in all three two-year-old races behind the likes of Wilma’s Boy and Princess Sadie.
Lottie’s Moment has won three of her eight races this time in for John Morrison, but her last three starts have been particularly good.
She won a double at Addington last month culminating in a $26,000 final of the Silk Road Winter Series over 1980m, while last week’s meritorious fifth in a standing start heat showed she could easily win another final next week.
Lottie’s Moment got a 20m head start on I Dream Of Jeannie last week, but she missed away and settled last where she remained until the home turn.
I Dream Of Jeannie was back to her best in her first start for the Dunns and sprinted brilliantly to easily down Princess Sadie, but Lottie’s Moment finished just as well to be beaten two and a half lengths. I Dream Of Jeannie was timed to come home in 27.82 while Lottie’s Moment was timed in 27.91.
A lot of people are now going to enjoy this ride with over 40 parties involved in her syndication, including at least a dozen first-time owners.
Bringing all of this together last year was Jo Townshend, a daughter of Mike DeFilippi who had known Cox for many years.
“We knew Katy from her days of showing horses and eventing and she also served her apprenticeship with Colin and Julie (DeFilippi),” said Townshend.
“We live near Dunsandel and Katie wasn’t far away in Leeston, and when dad wasn’t able to do much more than jogging up, we sent our horses to her.
“I know how hard Colin and Mike had to work to be successful, so I’ve always had a mind to help young people in the game who aren’t the bluebloods.”
When Cox was diagnosed in October, 2023, the outside horses needed to be relocated and Townshend sent most of hers to John Morrison.
They included Watching Brief, who won three of 13 starts before a recent sale to America, while Revolution went to Colin DeFilippi and he won his last start at Ashburton in January.
When Mike was at the end of his training career in 2020, he’d turned to Morrison as a driver and they combined to win three races with Only In America, who was bred and raced by Townshend.
When Only In America won a race at a Rangiora winter meeting in 2019, he was Morrison’s 100th driving win, while at the same meeting many years earlier, Mike DeFilippi had recorded his 1000th win.
When Lottie’s Moment had begun racing so well, she was vetted ahead of a sale to Merv Butterworth, but the test raised some concerns.
“There was only a minor issue but the advice was she would be better off being in a paddock than racing, and Merv wanted her for some big two-year-old races coming up, so he pulled out.
“Katie began getting sick at the same time so she sent Lottie’s Moment to the paddock for six months and hoped for the best.”
Cox brought Lottie’s Moment back into work in April last year, but she passed away on July 3.
“Lottie’s Moment was in full work and ready for the trials when we bought her outright and began syndicating her.
“She’d had two weeks off when Katy died as we didn’t want to be picking her up the next day.
“But when she got to Johnny, she wasn’t trotting as well as he would have liked, so he started trying different things.
“There’s been a lot of issues and niggles to work through and she’s basically been in and out of work since August.
“They’ve played around with the shoeing, but a big help has been a vet that can do body work (chiropractor).”
Lottie’s Moment reappeared in March when she won workouts at Methven and Motukarara and that was the first time she’d been seen in public for 15 months.
She was sent out the favourite when she resumed in a maiden at the Waimate meeting on the grass at Oamaru, but she broke going over the crossing, which resulted in Morrison adding an undercheck.
Ironically, that race was won by Harriet’s Moment, a four-year-old Volstead mare from the same family who had also been back in work with Cox last year.
Ricky May organised her purchase by the Strappers Syndicate and placed her with Phil Williamson and drove her to win at Oamaru.
Cox had purchased an Armbro Invasion sister to Take A Moment in Stay A Moment from Leeston’s Paul Corkran back in 2017, along with a Love You daughter in Love A Moment.
She later bred Harriet’s Moment from Stay A Moment and Lottie’s Moment is the first foal from Love A Moment.
The latter has since been acquired by Michael Ward, who is also in the ownership now of Lottie’s Moment.
Ward’s son Craig was the partner of Cox and he’s bred a yearling filly by Royal Aspirations from Love A Moment, while Michael has bred a weanling filly by King Of The North.
A three-year-old filly by Muscle Mass in Birstall Babe is now owned by Rob Courtney and Keith Gardner and qualified recently for the Hopes at Rangiora.
Harriet’s Moment has similar ability to Lottie’s Moment and is in this week’s heat of the Silk Road.
They could quite conceivably quinella next week’s final although Harriet still has some head issues.
Lottie’s Moment ran into the promising three-year-old’s Tyrons Strapping Lad and Paramount Picture at Addington in her second start back, finishing third, but then she bolted in at Methven.
Morrison had put her on the unruly and they were still at the rear and wide on the home turn, but she won by three lengths.
That led to a junior drivers’ race at Addington, but Lottie’s Moment can over race when left parked and she proved a difficult drive for Harrison Orange, fading late to seventh.
Again sent out favourite at Ashburton for Morrison, Lottie’s Moment clipped a wheel at the top of the straight, resulting in a $300 fine, but she won a week later at Addington beating Waihemo Hannah.
The latter is owned and trained by Dunsandel’s Ken Hannah, who also joined the ownership of Lottie’s Moment.
Waihemo Hannah has also been contesting the Silk Road races and that will continue this week and next.
Nelson’s George Hill also took a share in Lottie’s Moment along with Peter and Ross Edwards, whose father Dave bred and raced Sundowner Bay (16 wins, $260,000) with Mike DeFilippi.
“Those people have all had trotters before so they were good victims.
“George only bred pacers but he’s been getting into the trotters lately with the Hopes.”
Then there’s no less than five syndicates racing Lottie’s Moment in Don’t Tell The Boys, Family Ties, The Dumpster, Four Blokes and Bit By Bit.
Don’t Tell The Boys is a syndicate of 10 ladies who are also racing Donttelltheboys, also a starter at Addington this week for Colin DeFilippi.
Family Ties is a syndicate of DeFilippi and Townshend family members, while The Dumpster has 10 members and is also racing Aldebaran Crystal.
Dumpster is a bunch of golfing mates which includes trainer Regan Todd and they’ve raced the lies of Cheezel and Teagan Banner.
Aldebaran Crystal joins the Silk Road picture this week and will be another big factor in next week’s final.
Four Blokes is four Ashburton farmers who are first-time owners, including Ashburton District Council mayor Neil Brown.
Bit By Bit has eight members and they’re also all first-time owners.
“Some of the people involved are in the North Island or even Australia, but there’s always plenty of us on track and we do make a lot of noise.
“I’m not sure if Lottie’s Moment will keep going for the Kurow Trotters Cup and Jasmyn’s Gift or have a break soon.
“She has turned a corner now but she has also been up quite a while.
“We’ll get through next week’s race and go from there.”
Regardless, there’s going to be a lot of fun with Lottie’s Moment, and some sadness.