Welcome-Saplings Stakes double for Allamericanplayer

By Mike Love 

Allamericanplayer stamped himself as the current best two-year-old in the country by winning the Group 2 Rakaia Seed Cleaning NZ Sapling Stakes for $60,000 over 1700m at Ashburton yesterday.

The Steve and Amanda Telfer-trained runner repeated the dose of a week ago when he beat race favourite Fugitive in a similar display in the Group 1 Welcome Stakes at Addington. 

Yesterday Allamericanplayer, with driver Tim Williams, were able to secure the one by one early, while main race rival Fugitive did the donkey work parked, then eventually lead. Allamericanplayer was left parked from the 1050 metre mark. 

Locking horns with Fugitive on the swing for home, Williams and Allamericanplayer pulled out more stocks to run away and win with ears pricked at the line, scoring by one length from a game Fugitive in a scorching 1:53 mile rate, accompanied by a 56.2 800m and 27.8 400m. 

“He’s only just starting to learn how to race. The trip down south has been great for him. I think it’ll be the making of him,” said co-trainer Steve Telfer. 

The two-year-old Bettors Delight colt was bred by Breckon Farms and was a $155,000 purchase at last year's Auckland NZB Standardbred sale, and is now raced by Stonewall Stud LTD, Forever Optimistic Syndicate and Stuart Corps. 

Allamericanplayer has now won three from seven, placing four times and has won over $115,000.

“He’ll go straight to the paddock, and we will have a look at him after a month then come back at the end of the year.” 

The Telfers made it a double on the card by winning the $30,000 Rural Business Accountants 3YO Championship Stakes with Sweet Lou gelding Bar Louie.

Starting from an awkward draw of one on the second line over 1700m, driver Tim Williams was able to get off the pegs early in the race. Bar Louie made a lightning move from the 900m to stride to the lead, where they never looked in doubt from that point on. They pinched a break at the top of the straight and never conceded any ground, winning by three lengths in a whopping 1:52 mile rate with an 800m of 56.1 and 400m of 26.9.

“Once we were able to get off, and got a clear position through, we ended up in not a bad spot early,” said Williams. 

“He’s a horse with a lot of ability, and they’ve always had a bit of an opinion on him.” 

Other highlights on the card included an emphatic victory by The Queen’s Gambit in the Group 3 Helen Pope 2YO Fillies Classic, while Kyle Cameron made it win 150 in the sulky behind What The Dragon who he also trains in the maiden trot.