The month of December was largely about breeding and it began on the first day of the month with the birth of a Captaintreacherous filly to Real Wings (Badlands Hanover/Tuapeka Wings). She has been served with Captaintreacherous again.
A special filly by Bettor's Delight was born to Venus Serena on the 5th and in the photo below she is only one day old. Venus Serena is to be served by Tall Dark Stranger.
Broodmares to return home to Arden Lodge after testing positive after 42 days are Raindowne, Rocknroll Arden, Arden's Rose, Southwind Arden, Tuapeka Art, Arden's Rockstar and Tricky Woman.
Raindowne (Life Sign/ Tuapeka Tango) was the first mare home and she is in foal to Lazarus.
After her Always B Miki filly became sick and died after 27 days Tuapeka Art (Art Major/Petra's Star) is now in foal to Captaintreacherous.
Tricky Woman (In The Pocket/ Super Smooth) (on the left) is in foal to Bettor's Wish and Southwind Arden (Bettor's Delight/ Winter Rose) is in foal to Captaintreacherous.
Arden's Rockstar (Rocknroll Hanover/ Arden's Darlin) is in foal to Vincent.
Arden Lodge is fortunate to have broodmares able to be served by the exciting new stallion Tall Dark Stranger. Arden's Rose who is by Somebeachsomewhere out of an Artsplace mare Garden Rose (out of Winter Rose) and Rocknroll Arden (Rocknroll Hanover / Winter Rose) are both in foal to this son of Bettor's Delight from Precocious Beauty by Art Major. Arden's Choice (Panspacificflight/Winter Rose) has been served by him and Venus Serena (Mach 3/ Inspiring Dash) is to be served soon. Tall Dark Stranger has bred to19 broodmares who have earned over 1 million dollars in his first season as a sire in the US.
Rising 3 year old filly Indiana Arden (Panspacificflight/ Southwind Arden) qualified on the 14th December at Ashburton. She is owned by the Stivens, trained by Grant Payne and was driven by Blair Orange. She is now home at Arden Lodge for a spell.
Arden Lodge sponsored the Arden Lodge Fillies and Mares Mobile Pace at the Gore Harness Racing Club on 27th December. The winning filly Sweet Annie is by Panspacificflight out of Tracey's Delight, and her connections are the team at Macca Lodge who bred, train and own the filly.
L'oiseau De Nuit (Christian Cullen/ Corbie) was the first mare home to Arden Lodge from the stud with her foal - a colt by Vincent.
L'oiseau De Nuit is now in foal to Downbytheseaside.
December has been fairly quiet on the track for the Arden breds but in New Zealand the Art Major rising 5 year old Laver has been flying the flag for mare Venus Serena by winning the Hagley Windows and Doors Mobile Pace on the 17th at Addington then backing up with a very good run to win the Rakaia Seed Cleaning Ashburton Cup on the 23rd December. This took his stake earnings to over $126,682 and he is 26 times placed from 48 starts - 8 wins, 9 seconds and 9 thirds.
See the 2021 Ashburton Cup here:
In Australia Laver's Arden-bred full brother Arden's Ace produced a fast mile rate of 1-52.8 when he finished third in the Group 2 Slingsby Holdings Carousel final at Menangle on the 11th December, after winning a heat 2 on 27th November. He has won 7 times and placed second and third 5 times each and is very close to becoming a stakes earner of over $100k as he sits on $97,715.
Also in Australia 4 year old Arden-Bred Bettor Watch Arden (Bettor's Delight/L'oiseau De Nuit) recorded two consecutive wins in December at Newcastle. He is owned by Robert Stephenson and trained by Roy Roots Jnr. He recorded a 1-53 for his win on the 18th December in the First Splashes Swim School Pace. Here is that race where he is driven by CM Geary.
Bettor Watch Arden had his second win in December in the PSC Insurance Pace for driver Robbie Morris in a time of 1-55.9
Arden's Sweetheart (Sweet Lou/Achieve A Dream) has looked in good form for her three runs in December for the Stivens and The 'Life's A Beach' Syndicate but hasn't managed better than third when she raced on the 19th at Rangiora.
See her run here:
Arden's Reality (Somebeachsomewhere/ Real Wings) had his first start back after a spell at the Banks Peninsula Meeting on the 29th for the Stivens and The Slice of Heaven Syndicate. The race didn't pan out well for him and in the stipenary stewards' report it says that he was hampered by a breaking runner after 100m - this isn't clear in the race video but it resulted in him running close to the rear of the field for the duration of the race. He didn't disappoint trainer Grant Payne so willl head to the two Nelson meetings in the new year.
On the same day a full brother to Arden's Reality had his first start. Arden Believer is owned by AR Bennett and Mrs KD Dixon and is trained by Dean Taylor. Unfortunately he couldn't get clear racing room in the run home.
December has also been about yearling preparation for the NZB Standardbred 2022 NZ National Standardbred Yearling Sale 14-16 February in Christchurch.