Peregrine helps reignite Baynes passion for breeding
By Jonny Turner
Southland owner Penny Baynes didn’t breed Peregrine but the classy trotter is having an impact on what’s happening in her broodmare paddock.
Baynes and husband John enjoyed a huge thrill when Peregrine (Pegasus Spur-Mystic Reign-Safely Kept) ran to a slick victory on Show Day for trainer Brett Gray.
John and Penny Baines (left) on Show Day with Peregrine
The Bayne family has made an incredible impact on Southland standardbred breeding and racing for the best part of a century.
Penny and John have carried on several of the breeds that have been brilliantly successful for their late father and father-in-law Colin Baynes, as well as introducing new mares to their broodmare band.
The couple breed in their own right, as well as in combination with John’s brother Kenny Baynes through Baynes Racing Ltd and Baynes Bloodstock Ltd.
Penny admitted her interest in putting in mares in foal quietened recently, but she has quickly gotten back into the full swing of things.
And that just happens to coincide with Peregrine developing into a classy trotter worthy of competing at premier level.
“During Covid, I really backed off and I didn’t really breed anything,” Baynes said.
“And as luck would have it, there were two Baynes racing trotting mares that didn’t get in foal either.”
“So, we actually have a year missing, but we are breeding from the two trotting mares again now.”
“One is the mother of Full Noise (Knapdale Girl), she has just had a free return after her foal died and she is going to On A Streak.”
“We are also breeding from One Cool Mill who is a half-sister to Cool Cobber.”
“She had heart fibrillations so she never raced.”
“She is an Angus Hall mare from Cool Maiden and she just had a foal by Elite Stride.”
“She’s going to Father Patrick this year.”
Penny and John’s recent trip to North America has influenced what they will do with another of the Cool Cobber breed, which goes back to Colin Baynes’s outstanding mare Cool Cat.
“I have also got an Angus Hall mare from Cool Maiden as well (Too Cool).”
“She is another half-sister to Cool Cobber, she is going to Helpisontheway who is a Chapter Seven stallion.”
“When we were at the Hambletonian this year Walner was a real hit stallion, and Chapter Seven is as well.”
On the pacing front, Penny and John have plenty of young stock coming through.
There is a mix of the old breed with mares like Knapdale Girl and Varanasi, as well as the Breckon Farms bred Affairs Are Bettor.
“I’m also breeding from Knapdale Girl who is The Ladybird’s mother and Affairs Are Bettor, who is McLean’s mother.”
“I bought Affairs Are Bettor at the same time I bought Peregrine and she had McLean inside her.”
“Her foals are really nice types, I have got a Downbytheseaside yearling filly and an Always B Miki two-year-old.”
“She has just had a Captain Crunch filly and she is going to Fear The Dragon.”
“I’m also going to breed from Varanasi, I wasn’t going to but just with the breeding incentives I thought I would have another go and she will go to Captain Midnight.”
Baynes is one of four board members for the Southern Harness Racing Group.
She said she was thoroughly enjoying the challenge of building a strong future for harness racing in the south.
“We are trying to be innovative.”
“We are trying things for the rest of New Zealand.”
“There is no other region that has the brainstorming programming committee.”
“We sit around and go back to HRNZ with programmes, series and that sort of things.”
“We are in quite a unique position – the blind nominations is an example recently.”
“You have to be innovative and try things because the old ways are not really working.”
“I am quite excited about things going forward.”
Peregrine looks to be a broodmare gem in waiting, but she has plenty more to achieve on the track first.
After her win on Show Day, the mare ran a solid fourth behind Resolve in the Group Two Trotting Mares Handicap at Addington on Friday night.