The highs and lows of horse breeding were illustrated when Meredith Maguire impressively won her first start at Addington on Friday night.
The Mark Purdon and Grant Payne-trained 3yr-old filly justified her hot favouritism when she led her rivals a merry chase to win by two and three-quarter lengths.
Meredith Maguire was bred by Ray and Diana Kennedy of Cambridge.
She is by Christian Cullen and the last foal of Alvez, an unraced last foal of the Son Of Afella mare Good Going.
Good Going won eight races in the late 1970s and early 1980s for Eddie Van Asperen, of Balclutha.
She won one for Harry Cox, four from the Ali Malcolmson stable and three for Robin Butt.
The Kennedys purchased Alvez in 2003 after she had produced two foals.
She missed the next three seasons before producing Meredith Maguire.
Alvez died the following year after missing to In The Pocket.
Alvez was a half-sister to Going Royce (by El Patron) who has left the talented pacers Tribute, the winner of 16 races and $610,919, Midnite (six wins) and Hoon Hay (three wins).
All three were trained by Tim Butt and Phillip Anderson.
Trainer Mark Purdon purchased Meredith Maguire at the New Zealand Yearling Sale at Karaka on type for $32,000 but did not have clients for the filly.
He was approached by Palmerston North dairy farmers Braydon and Caroline Whitelock who were seeking a filly to expand their band of standardbred broodmares.
The Whitelocks raced Braeside Star from the Purdon stable.
Braeside Star (Soky's Atom-Tuapeka Star) won six races in the 2001-02 season.
Braeside Star has left the promising Johnny Bravo, who has recorded three wins, four seconds and a third from 10 starts from the Robert Dunn stable.
Purdon feels Meredith Maguire should make the grade in the 3yr-old fillies races later in the season if she makes the expected improvement.
Purdon said he will give Auckland Reactor more standing start practice at the Motukarara workouts on Saturday.
The 5yr-old lost 75m when he broke early before his trial win at Addington last Wednesday.
"He should improve his standing start manners.
"He is a sensible horse," Purdon said.
