Hickey Doubles Up At Cambridge
Rob Courtney
81 year old Bill Hickey hasn’t enjoyed the best of health over the last couple of years but maiden trotter Veronica Jane (2019 4 Br m Majestic Son – Nurse Ronerail) and stallion Always B Charlie (2018 5 B h Always B Miki – Charleston Belle) put a ‘smile on his dial’ when both duly obliged in their respective races at the Cambridge meeting on the 19th December.
Veronica Jane winning at Cambridge
(c) Angelique Bridson – RaceImages
“One doesn’t get rich on the stakemoney offered at Cambridge but its definitely better than running last,” he quipped.
Both are trained by Ohaupo horseman Jason Teaz and both were competently handled by Peter Ferguson.
Veronica Jane, at only her 3rd raceday start, came quickly over the last 50m from a nice trail to win in the manner of a horse capable of going a wee bit further yet.
Always B Charlie worked to the front & did enough to hold off his rivals 4 races later. This was a very satisfying result for his connections, the horse having to overcome leg & feet issues which resulted in him missing his complete 4yo season.
Hickey, who had been a dairy farmer for much of his working life, bought the 500 acre Linden Park Stud (at Pukekawa) some 15 years ago off studmaster Graham Bell. Standardbred stallions such as Sands A Flyin, Road Machine & Tuapeka Knight were just a few who did some time there back in the 80’s and before that it was home to the thoroughbred establishment known as Haunui Farm.
Present day and Linden Park is home to beef cattle and ‘too many’ broodmares according to Hickey.
“It wasn’t hard to get the horse bug where I came from, I was milking the cows for the Reid brothers (of Christopher Vance & Luxury Liner fame) and then Dave Anderson offered me Davey’s Jill (Tudor Hanover – Desilu), a full sister & the immediate foal after the one & only Delightful Lady (47 wins + $472k).”
Always B Charlie winning at Cambridge
(c) Angelique Bridson – RaceImages
The latter won 10 races trotting, was good enough to start in a couple of Rowe Cups but generally disappointed at stud as a breeding proposition.
Butlers Reward (Butler BG – Nurse Alice) also won 10 races and ironically got his chance as a stud at Linden Park but like so many of our colonial sires, struggled to attract any worthwhile numbers.
“I only have a record of what’s in my head but over the years we have bred some nice winners. We sold Majestic Harry to Brittney Graham and he won 13 races + $187k in Australia,” he shared.
‘Harry’s dam Princess Janie is one of a half dozen that Hickey is currently breeding. She is in foal to King Of The North and Nurse Ronerail (dam of Veronica Jane) is going back to Dancinginthedark.
Charleston Belle (C.Cullen – Elite Belle), dam of the other Hickey winner, who won 5 races herself, missed to Pebble Beach but has a yearling filly full sister to Always B Charlie that is already showing promise for trainer Teaz.
Recently, in an attempt to get some ‘go early types’, Hickey went to Gavelhouse & purchased 2 mares from Renwick Farm in Canterbury.
Neverbettor (Bettor’s Delight – Nevermore) is now in foal to Always B Miki & Solandra (Artsplace – Tory Franco) is in foal to first season sire Cannibal (Sweet Lou).
“I don’t go to the yearling sales and I don’t generally spend the big bucks on the top service fees but I have a sense the ‘game’ (harness racing) is picking up; I just hope that this increased funding filters down to the lower end of the market as the ‘sales’ horses tend to win the big money classic races.
But I’m still learning about the horses and the bug certainly hasn’t gone away.”
