Twizel Guru first winner bred by syndicate

The maiden win of Twizel Guru at Invercargill on Saturday was another chapter in a venture that began 20 years. Twizel Guru, a 5yr-old gelding by Gallant Guru from Twizel Magic, is raced by the Twizel Magic syndicate (Dave Aitken, Ray Webster and Rex Moss, all of Dunedin) with Peter Race, of Twizel and Dunedin men, Tony Branks, Grant Ford, Peter McQueen, Matt Scoles, Mark Willis, Michael Smith and William Cockerill. Twizel Guru is in the White Robe Lodge stable of Brian and Shane Anderton.

Messrs Aitken, Webster and Moss entered racing ownership to race Flying Bio with breeder Mick Hogg. The daughter of Bio - Tawnley (five wins) won a 1200m maiden race at Wingatui in 1998 from the WRL stable when ridden by Paula Dowling.

"She was our first broodmare, but it never worked out," recalled Aitken.

Flying Bio slipped a foal by Personal Escort from her first mating then died in 2003 foaling to that sire. The foal did not survive. Brian Anderton gave them a filly by Seasoned Star from Tawnley foaled the same year as a replacement. She was the last foal of Tawnley.

Named Twizel Magic, she won them three races from the WRL stable. Twizel Guru is the first foal of Twizel Magic. She foaled a filly by Raise The Flag (named Mackenzie Country) in 2012 but died two years later when close to foaling to that sire.

"We took six others who had never raced a horse into the ownership to race Twizel Guru," said Aitken.

Messrs Aitken, Moss and Webster were also in the ownership of Personalize (Personal Escort - Wild Spirits), who won five races from the Anderton stable when raced with breeder Nicky Anderton.

Messrs Aitken, Branks, Scoles, Webster, Moss, Ford and Miss Anderton also won three races with Briga, a daughter Seasoned Star and Personalize.

Twizel Guru was among three winners sired by Gallant Guru at Invercargill on Saturday. The others were Patrick Erin ($30,000 Wyndham Cup, 2100m) and Taniwha.

Patrick Erin, who was having his first start in open company, has now had six wins, three seconds and three thirds in 14 starts since he began racing from the WRL stable 12 months ago.

Taniwha was among four winners on the programme for WRL apprentice Jacob Lowry. The tally was equal to his haul on Melbourne Cup day at Wingatui in 2016. Lowry, who also won on Twizel Magic, Big Hitter and Keep The Courage at the Southland meeting.

Turbulence, a Showcasing - Queens Move filly in the WRL stable, confirmed a start in the 2yr-old race at Riverton on April 15 when she won an 800m barrier trial at Wingatui on Wednesday (5/3/2017). She ran the 800m in 47.75 on the inside grass when prevailing by a head over 3yr-old Aboli, who had won a trial at Rangiora in August.