Latest in "Memphis" production line wins at Addington

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

Super broodmare Memphis Melody continued a remarkable winning streak with Memphis Blaster's victory at Addington yesterday.

The Wayne Higgs-bred and trained three-year-old (Bettor's Delight - Memphis Melody) won at his second career start, in the Betavet Buildabone and Protect Pace. That gave Memphis Melody her seventh individual winner in New Zealand from the 13 foals she's had at the races.

After a 10th on debut a week ago, Memphis Blaster got the perfect trail for driver Sam Ottley and then wore down the pacesetter Major Henry to win by a half a length, paying $12.60.

So was Higgs expecting such a turnaround? - "No".

"He got a great run but in saying that he was good enough from a stand to put himself into the race," says Higgs, "and there's no reason to think he couldn't win one or two more."

It was Higgs' first training success since Michelle won at Reefton in 2020.

These days he's very much a hobby trainer, working his horses on the beach at Spencer Park just outside Christchurch. His first win was with Benatom at Rangiora in 1998 with his best season wins-wise being the 44 he had in 1999.

As a breeder Higgs has had a lot of success, much of it with his line of "Memphis" horses. 

On the race track Memphis Melody (Badlands Hanover - OK Deb) won one from seven before being retired.

According to HRNZ records she had seven foals before Higgs bought her as a breeding proposition. Her early foals included Harley Earl who had 10 wins and Virginia Lightning who had four starts without a win in this country before winning 13 across the Tasman.

"I knew the horse straight away when she was offered for sale," says Higgs of Melody Memphis, "I'd seen her at the Rangiora trials one day."

"So I snapped her up."

What a decision that turned out to be - her progeny have now had 52 New Zealand wins in total, 30 of them for Higgs as a breeder.

Among her better known performers were Delightful Memphis and Stylish Memphis.

Higgs was a part owner of Delightful Memphis (Bettor's Delight - Memphis Melody) who had 11 wins. He then bred full brother Memphis Tennessee (10 wins), full sister Stylish Memphis (15 wins and $749,825), and Major Memphis (Art Major - Melody Memphis) - 4 wins - before Memphis Blaster was foaled in 2020.

Yesterday's winner Memphis Blaster has two younger siblings, Miracle Memphis and Captain Memphis, who are yet to get to the race track.

And with Memphis Melody in foal again to Bettor's Delight, and Delightful Memphis and Stylish Memphis having both been served by Captaintreacherous, the "Memphis" name is far from finished.