When it reins it paws!

Elena’s outing to Addington wasn’t the only Gerolstein horsey event that my globe-trotting caused me to miss this week.
After Seppl’s fine first workout at Motukarara last week, Murray decided to give him one more like run, and then take him straight to the qualifying trials. I checked the schedules: splendid, that would be 3 February and I’d be back in Canterbury!
But things moved even more quickly than could have been imagined, and the day after Lena’s victory, little Seppl and his better-known nephew Fritzl (‘The Soldier Fritz’), headed for Ashburton and the week’s Qualifying Trials. Seppl’s mission was to crack the qualifying time, Fritzl was there for Murray to get a handle on the stage of his preparation: for we are only a fortnight away from the first three year-old classic of the year, and on last term’s form, Fritzl could be there.
Seppl lined up with six other young rising trotters, and when the tapes flew he stepped away just as faultlessly and fast as his mother, Gwen, used to do in her youth. Apparently there was a bit of carnage behind him, but Seppl didn’t even see it: as he did last week, he just trotted straight to the front, ran them along for a mile and a half, and none of the others got near him! He even ran home his last quarters in 58 and 28, times worthy of a pacer.
So my next glimpse of Seppl, when I pass through New Zealand, will now be at the real races rather than a trial.
Fritzl lined up against two star three year-old fillies, and he more than accomplished his mission. Although the winner, a race-winner the other day against older horses, finished 10 lengths ahead of him, they cut out their mile in a neat 2.04 .. not a bad effort for a first pipe-opener of the season!
Hopefully, I’ll be having a fun time with Gerolstein's horses in February and March, before I quit New Zealand to return to Europe!

Race 2 QUALIFYING TROT. (Time Required - 3-20.0 )

Distance: 2400m Weather: Fine Track: Fast

1 11 SEPPL 6 Ft 3-15.8 M Edmonds M P Edmonds
2 12 Seeker Dhu U1 Ft 3-16.3 B Weaver B Weaver
3 6 CR Ash 1 Ft 3-16.4 J B Geddes J J & J B Geddes
4 8 Sole Recruit 3 Ft 3-21.1 K D Townley K D Townley
Other Starters in finishing order
5 9 Gee Itsa Boy 4 Ft D McCormick D G McCormick
6 10 DixieCommando 5 Ft J J Geddes J J & J B Geddes
7 7 A Saint She Aint 2 Ft C A Butt T G Butt

Margins: 3 lengths, nose, 23 lengths
Sectional Times: Mile Rate: 2-11.2 Last 800m: 58.7 Last 400m: 28.3

Qualifier:
Seppl 2006 3 Br g Wrestle-Gwen
Trainer: Murray Edmonds
Owner: K F Ganzl, B D Collins