Two wins 14,000 kilometres apart for Bob Higgins

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  

What a Sunday afternoon it was for Westport's Robert "Bob" Higgins.

First he watched on with friends and family as super mare Francent beat a top class line-up in Canada. And then he had a dual hemisphere double with Francent's half sister Mattie Nevin upsetting at big odds at Ashburton.

They were two victories, 14,000 kilometres and two hours apart - and one very pleased breeder.

"To see the breed that's been in the family for so long to do so well is very satisfying," Higgins reflected.

Higgins is a third generation breeder and trainer, based at Patterson Park, with his latest winners direct descendents from family's 1943 mare Red Queen.  

Both Francent and Mattie Nevin are out of unraced mare Mary Niven (Courage Under Fire - Lyse Doucet).

She's had seven foals for Higgins. The first six have all got to the races and been winners, including Queenofdance (7 wins) and Songbird (4 wins). The seventh foal (Seaside Molly) was bought for $18,000 by Southland trainer Kirstin Green at this year's National Yearling Sale.

And the breed's success has Higgins second-guessing his future plans.  

"I'm not sure about Mary Niven, whether to get her in foal or skip a year but because they are going so well out of her I should be getting her back in foal." 

"I'm 75 and am tending to get out of it (breeding) but it's getting more exciting as they are getting older."

Francent (Vincent - Mary Niven) is by far Higgin's best performer. 

"She's put Vincent on the map a bit too," says Higgins. 

A multiple Group winner in this country when trained by Higgins and then Mark Jones she left for North America earlier this year, debuting at Yonkers in New York in July.

The six-year-old has been a star performer there, with her latest victory in a $50,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Ontario, Canada on Sunday afternoon. Among the horses she beat was 2024 Horse of the Year Twin B Joe Fresh trained by Chris Ryder and driven by fellow ex-pat Kiwi Dexter Dunn.

It was her third win in a row, in 1:48.2 and her 16th overall in 34 career starts. She's likely to line up in the Group 2 Milton Stakes this weekend. 

"To think that she is taking on and beating the best up there (North America) is very gratifying," says Higgins, "it's great for the breed too."

In Ashburton Francent's half sister Mattie Nevin (Downbytheseaside - Mary Niven) won the Nevele R Fillies Series (Heat 2). Driven by Sam Ottley and trained by Mark Jones, Mattie Nevin got the perfect trail before zipping up the passing lane to beat fast-finishing favourite Indulge Me by a head. It was her third win in 11 starts, paying $21 for the win.

"Mark's done a great job with her, talking to him we might go to Oamaru for the next heat (September 13)."

The win booked her a place in the $200,000 Final at Addington on New Zealand Trotting Cup day (Tuesday, November 10).

Higgins is adamant he won't be on the Coast that day.

"Nothing's bigger than Cup day," he says.

Though Sunday will take some topping.