Father Patrick's progeny to the fore at the NZ Harness Awards
It was a memorable night for Father Patrick at the New Zealand Harness Awards on Saturday with his progeny taking out three of the trotting age group categories.
The brilliant Meant To Be was the uncontested winner of the 2YO Trotting Colt or Gelding of the Year award, after an exceptional freshman season saw him win six races including the Group 1 Sires Stakes 2YO Championship, the Group 1 Ace Of Clubs, the Listed NZB Harness Million Trot and the inaugural running of the Golden Gait 2YO Trot.
On the back of the above feature wins the Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan trained youngster also amassed New Zealand record earnings for a juvenile trotter, winning $247,596 in stakes in his debut season.
Bred by Breckon Farms Ltd, Meant To Be is out of the NZ Trotting Derby winning Muscle Hill mare Luby Lou, who herself was voted the NZ 3YO Trotting Filly of her Year.
The Greg and Nina Hope trained Habibti Pat completed a sweep of the juvenile trotting awards for Father Patrick with the filly taking out the 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year title.
In a near flawless season, Habibti Pat won five of her six starts including the Group 1 Ace Of Hearts and the Group 3 Aldebaran Eagle 2YO Classic, as well as placing in the Group 1 Sires Stakes 2YO Championship for earnings of $120,682.
Bred by Julie Maghzal and raced in partnership with her daughter Sasha Maghzal, Habibti Pat is out of the Group 1 winning Love You mare Habibti Ivy.
Rounding out Father Patrick’s trio of age group award winners was Father Time, who took the honours for 3YO Trotting Colt or Gelding of the Year.
Rarely outside of the first three placings in 2024, Father Time won four races, finished runner-up to champion Australian filly Keayang Zahara in the inaugural $500,000 “The Ascent” and also placed in the Group 1 NZ Trotting Derby, banking $126,272 in stakes for the season.
Father Time is out of the five-win Monarchy mare Firenze, a full sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Sheemon.
Father Patrick enjoyed a terrific 2024 season, finishing the year as New Zealand’s leading sire of 2YO trotters for the third season in a row, as well as finishing runner-up on both the NZ All Age and 3YO Trotting Sires tables.