Owner and Breeder of the Month - August

Every month HRNZ picks at random an owner and breeder of the month. The only proviso is that their horse must have won a race during the month.

For August Connor Hartley has been selected as owner of the month after Hughie Wallace's win at Alexandra Park on August 16 while Mike Gourdie (Regency Wools) is the breeder of the month after Slainte's win at Cambridge on August 13.

Owner of the month : Connor Hartley

Connor Hartley was exactly where he wanted to be when Hughie Wallace won his third race at Alexandra Park.

"I was at the Auckland meeting in the owners' bar with the other owners."

"It is a very enjoyable experience to be in the ownership of such a nice handy horse like Hughie Wallace."

Hartley comes from a harness racing family and has been around horses all his life though this is the first horse he's had any financial interest in and it came about after helping out trainer Trevor Phillips at his Morrinsville stables.

"I have had my stablehand's licence since Covid. I help out around the stables during my days off," says Hartley, who works at a timber yard, "and I was fortunate enough to be given a share in Hughie by Trevor for my help around the stables."

And it seems to have started something!

"I recently purchased a weanling trotting colt at the Karaka sales back in May which I own outright and look forward to racing him in the future."

Breeder of the month : Mike Gourdie

As the breeder of Slainte, Mike Gourdie says "it is incredibly rewarding to breed any horse that wins one let alone one that has won five."

Slainte is by Angus Hall out of Spin Ya Wheels.

"Spin Ya Wheels was a very erratic yet a very fast horse and should have won more than she did. I have always liked Angus Hall, a great racehorse and sire and from a brilliant family so when it was advertised that he would be available, I was in straight away."

Slainte started off with Phil Williamson then went to Oliver Adlam before having the last 43 of his last total 70 starts with Geoff Martin at Cambridge.

"He has done a great job for Geoff Martin and given he is a master at placing his horses to best advantage I would suggest there is more to come from Slainte," says Gourdie.

Of the other horses Gourdie has bred one stands out - Mach Alert (Mach Three - Justalert) won 37 races in Australia, including the Group 1 2013 Coca Cola Superstars and the 2011 Queensland Derby.

And he is far from finished.

"I am still flying the flag with three to foal this season and have a mare booked into Sebastian K."

Congratulations to both of August's winners and your plaques are on their way to you.