News from Harcourt Lodge Stables

Terror To Love is back in work and ready to trial next week after having a break since winning the New Zealand Cup, with the Auckland Cup his next big task followed by the major 4 yr old races.

Recently sold Total Control is doing a great job in Australia having won 3 from 3!
Victoria May is racing very well in Melbourne without any luck and is still for sale. Bob Butt said she'll win one with ease very soon!

We have also qualified a number of 2 yr olds with a few of them to race soon. We have a six in to race at Wyndham 4/2/12 with 2 yr old fillies Exceptional Art and Jadaki both having there first starts. The perfect racehorse Low On Wine will also go south along with Art Connoisseur, Three Strangers, and Between The Lines who's also racing well.

Terror To Love gives Curtin his 2nd NZ Cup
By Duane RANGER (Harnesslink editor) 09-Nov-2011

It's been 17 years since Canterbury harness racing legend Jimmy Curtin last won a New Zealand Cup. But after today's electrifying late run by Terror To Love the wait was worth it.
Wow what a run! Terror To Love and Curtin had been pushed back to near last with 600m of the 3200m standing start left. Even at the top of the straight it seemed favourite Smoken Up had too much of lead for Terror To Love who arrived late and wide out with Highview Tommy (Blair Orange).
"He went great didn't he! We were a long way off them at the top of the straight and I even thought Smoken Up had too much of a lead. It just goes to show what a good horse he really is. What a sprint after two miles!
"He's a real credit to his West Melton trainers Graham and Paul (Court)," Curtin said.
The father and son combination today (Tuesday November 8) trained just the fourth 4-year-old to win New Zealand's coveted two mile event.
"He trained on so strong as a 4-year-old we thought it was worth a crack against the big guns. Dad has done all the work, I'm just the passenger.
"You could never be too confident in a race like this but he has felt really good for a while now. I can't believe what has just happened. I knew it could happen, but was never sure if it actually would," Court (Paul) said.
"I'm still buzzin. It's a moment in time I'll never forget," he added.
He then said it was unlikely the 4yo son of Western Terror would start in the New Zealand Free-For-All on Friday, but was hoping he got a Miracle Mile invitation.
Rangitaua Ray and Robbie Holmes led early before Australian champion Smoken Up went around the field and grabbed the lead just short of two laps left.
They walked the first lap and the acid never really went on until the last 1000m when several horses made moves and went around the field. In doing so Terror To Love, who was prominent early, was pushed back just when it mattered.
But as he did when finishing third and second in his previous Cup attempts, Smoken Up couldn't quite see out the final 100m succumbing to the fast finishing Terror To Love and Highview Tommy.
Eight-wide on the bend Terror To Tove won in 4:02 (mile rate: 2:01.7) with final 800m and 400m bursts of 56.8 and 28.5 seconds.
Terror To Love won by three quarters of a length with Smoken Up hanging on to second by a nose. Highview Tommy, Gomeo Romeo, Choise Achiever, and Power Of Tara filled the minors.
Terror To Love has now won 12 of his 26 starts and has placed in seven other races and won more than $500,000 in stakes.
He is owned by his breeder, Terry McDonald, who incidentally who also beaten favourite in last year's New Zealand Cup - Stunin Cullen.
It was Terror To Love's first start over the distance and eighth win at Addington Raceway.
Footnote: New Zealand Cup day 2011 will always be remembered as Jimmy Curtin's day. He also won the New Zealand Junior Free-For-All with the promising mobile specialist he trains - Franco Emirate.
The TAB report with Steve Richardson:
Winner - Terror To Love opened $5.50 & closed $5.00 (tote $5.00)
No surprise to see that the Cup was a great trading race and we closed it without a losing result. As expected the late money did come for the favourite Smoken Up. Monkey King was an easy runner to sell at $10.
Largest wager on the winner $4,000 at $5.50
Largest wager on the race $5,000 at $2.50 our Smoken Up

Young harness racing star Terror To Love stepped onto the track at Addington Raceway tonight considered by many as a boy in a man's world. But for those who ever doubted the talented four year old was deserved of his place at the elite level just yet, they were given a true heads-up with a stunning performance to win tonight's Glenferrie Farm Canterbury Classic (group three).

Left three wide without cover for the last 600m, the son of Western Terror collared a parked Smiling Shard at the top of the straight before holding all at bay to book himself a place in November's New Zealand Cup. Trained at West Melton by the father and son partnership of Graham and Paul Court, Terror To Love looks every-bit deserved of his place in the big league, co-trainer Paul Court glowing in his praise for his stable star.

"He's just getting better and better all the time, he's improved so much from last season and seems to back-up so well from his races. It's real exciting times for all the connections and just so satisfying for us all. When you have one of your horses perform like that at the highest level it's very rewarding, and in particular for all the staff who put the hard yards in everyday," Court enthused.

The win came as little surprise to those who knew the horse best, but as Paul Court explains, they're are under no illusions as to the task ahead. "At that level you really need a little bit of luck, and he got none last week. I timed him to run his last 800 in 55.1 and 400 in 26.6, and he got no money. He's got the most speed of any horse I've sat behind, it's instant, and he's tough as well. Yes we're definitely going for the NZ Cup, it's just a matter of how we get there," Court says.

There were few excuses for the beaten brigade, although Smiling Shard was a brave second, just a length in arrears of the winner after being parked from the mile. The son of Grinfromeartoear continues to improve with every run. Highview Tommy was an improvers third while Power Of Tara stuck gamely for fourth after trying to lead over the final lap. The winners time was 3.12.7, home in 56.5 and 26.6. Terror To Love has now won 11 races from just 24 starts and over $210,000 in stake earnings.

Steve DOLAN

Terror To Love returns to racing with a win
Harnesslink: 23-Sep-2011
Terror To Love - A 4-year-old son of Western Terror and Love To Live.
Terror To Love took another step closer to gaining a start in harness racing's ultimate staying test the 2011 New Zealand Cup with an impressive first-up win at Addington Raceway tonight (Thursday).
Trained at West Melton by Graham and Paul Court, Terror To Love stepped perfectly from 10 metres for driver Jim Curtin, who eased the son of Western Terror from three deep the markers to take the lead with 2000m to run. Terror To Love oozed class over the concluding stages running clear to win untouched by two lengths at the line.
Mach Banner was a brave second after giving the winner 20m at the start and sitting parked for the most part, while Babes Boy Bob ran third, the result of an economical trip. Terror To Love ran the 2600m in 3.19.7,turning up the heat over the final 800 in 55.6, the last 400 in 27.4.
It was just what the doctor ordered for the father and son training partnership who are eyeing a start in the $600,000 New Zealand Cup. "He got away with some pretty easy sectionals in the middle stages, but he did win good," said co-trainer Paul Court.
"His stand-start many were real pleasing and it just gives us some confidence for the future. We won't get too far ahead of ourselves because he's got to measure up to the open class horses yet, and that's no mean feat," Court says.
The brilliant four year old took his bankroll past the $200,000 mark with tonight's win, his 10th in just 22 starts. He will now take on the open class pacers in the Avon City Ford Cup in a week's time (September 30), the winner being granted direct entry into the 2011 NZ Cup.
Steve DOLAN

The long winter is starting to pay off now as we're starting to get a few to the trials and races.
Mel Gibson and High Valour both having their first starts at Timaru 11/9/11, Mel Gibson had an uncommon gallop after trialling very well and High Valour ran a super fourth after getting too far back and ran home very well.
Terror To Love trialled great last week and is looking on target to race on the 22/9/11 on his way to a possible New Zealand Cup start.
There shall be more to trial over the next few weeks so busy times ahead!

Terror To Love continues to run mighty races, on the 14/5/11 he shared winning the Group 2 New Zealand Flying Stakes with Gold Ace, again running a fast time for the 1950m in 2.19.5 a mile rate of 1.55.1 just outside the New Zealand record. Next he ran a huge third in the Harness Jewels 4/5/11 at Ashburton after sitting parked for the journey and only going down by a nose, half head in 1.54 for the mile.

Recent Horses we've sold are doing a great job in Australia, Seel N Print 5 wins from 7 starts incl Western Australian Derby 1.57.8 $163,000, Nomore Mr Niceguy 4 wins 1.59.2, Noplacetohide 3 wins 1.59.7, But But But 1 win from 3 starts 2.00, Bromac Jones 6 wins 1.56.2

Stable star Terror To Love finished a close second in the New Zealand Derby when just pipped on the line. He ran a super race after working to the front from the second line and running a quick 3.12 for the 2600m 1.59.0 MR.

His next run was on the 8/5/11 at Rangiora, and after being parked out three wide for the last 1400m of the 2000m mobile he won in a New Zealand record 2.25.1 800m 56.4 400m 27.8 1.56.7 MR.

We are still very busy at present and have few of our two year old's ready to qualify in the next few weeks, and we are currently on the last five of our 25 yearlings for their second preparation.

With Terror To Love running in the New Zealand Derby this Saturday 23/4/11 at Addington, we are hoping for better luck than what he got in the Great Northern Derby, but we didn't get too much in our favour with the barrier draw where he has received number 13. He seems well and after a slashing trial last week at Ashburton he looks to be on target for a great race.

Former stable runner Seel N Print, which we sold back in late 2010, won the Western Australian Derby after leading up and being far too good for his opponents for trainer Graham Bond.

Having recently turned out a few of our qualified 2yr olds and sold a lot of the older race team, we have now only a handful to race but are still very busy working up a number of 2 and 3 yr olds and also a number of yearlings for their 2nd preparation.

Terror To Love won twice on the trot since his short break and headed to Auckland for the Great Northern Derby where he ran a nice 2nd in his heat. He then drew 14 for the final and ran an amazing race to finish 3rd after sitting at the tail of the field, a certainty beaten and the run of the race considering it was a New Zealand record for the 2700m mobile ( 3.17.0 800m 57.6 400m 29.7 mr 1.57.4)

Terror To Love is now being aimed for the New Zealand Derby on the 23/4/11 at Addington.

Moon Boyz has been racing consistently well and ran a nice 4th at Methven on 27/3/11.

On the breeding side of things we have now just weaned the last of the foals making that a total of 31 weanlings.

After a luckless run in the N.Z Sires Stakes final on cup day Terror To Love made his own luck at Addington 19/11/10 and led up over 1950m mobile, running away with a nice win clocking a smart 2.20.2, a mile rate of 1.55.6 last 800m 55.6 400m in 26.5.
Following that Terror To Love along with Hawthornden and Lite Prince headed to Auckland. Terror To love made his Northern debut in style, crushing his rivals after being trapped 3 wide for a lap and powered on to win in a unbelievable 2.40.4 for 2200m mobile a 1.57.3. Hawthornden ran a super race 1st up finishing 4th in a 1.58 mile rate for the 1700m mobile and Lite Prince which ran in the same race finished midfield but a nice run considering he was parked throughout the race.
Terror To love will line up next on the 10/12/10 then in the Elsu Classic on the 17/12/10 as for the 2yr olds Hawthornden and Lite Prince there next run will be in the next Young Guns Heat on the 17/12/10.
Cullens Moose won well at Addington 4/12/10 winning by 1 length running the 2600m mobile in 3.16.

Terror To Love - courtesy of hrnz.co.nz

Terry in for big Cup Day after Terror To Love qualifies
- Dunford’s have Purdon looking over them

Terror To Love won a race against time to qualify for next week’s Sires Stakes Final when he won the race against some talented rivals in last heat of the series at Addington last Saturday night.
After cracking a pedal bone on the eve of last season’s Welcome Stakes, where he was a late scratching, it was always going to be touch and go to get Terror To Love back racing in time for the latter heats of the Sires Stakes.
With two trials under his belt, Terror To Love resumed in the fifth heat at Addington won by Hands Christian in a 1.56.5 mile rate, and finished a sound fourth, but that did not put him anywhere near the final.
A good draw and a Western Terror colt blessed with excellent gate speed saw him much closer, and David Butt did the rest when winning a tactical battle with two of the three Purdon and Payne runners – Lewis Hamilton and favoured Kotare Yaakov filling the placings in the end.
“It was one of those cases where if we made it, we made it, and if we didn’t, we didn’t – there wasn’t a lot you could do about it,” said co-trainer Paul Court.
“That was a tough race to resume in last week, but he came out of it well and Davy (driver Butt) said he felt a lot sharper this week.
“I would expect him to improve a bit more as well as he’s blown up across the back,” he added.
With the last places in the final up for grabs, this was always going to be a very competitive heat with a full field – always has been – and crossing Kotare Yaakov at the start put Butt in a position to call some shots.
Putting Kotare Yaakov three back by handing up was one of them, but this didn’t go entirely to plan when Better Than Money had a dab for the lead a lap out, and promptly ran off again.
Butt was able to accept a trail home when Amazing Art loomed up at the 800m however, and Terror To Love sprinted as quickly at the finish as he had done at the start to keep the Purdon runners at bay.
“Once I’d crossed Kotare Yaakov, I was quite happy to hand up as I didn’t think we could lead all the way and hold him out at the finish,” said Butt.
At one time a fairly regular driver for the Court stable – he won races with Terror To Love’s good three-quarter brother Bad All Over (8 NZ wins, Aus1.56.3) – Butt picked up the drive this season when Jimmy Curtin broke another bone in his body over the winter.
Butt has also replaced Curtin on Dr Hook, meaning he will have drives in two if not three Group One races next week because of Curtin’s misfortune.
This Sires Stakes heat also meant that owner Terry McDonald is in for a very big Cup Day.
With his tactical speed, Terror To Love will be a big chance in the final if he can draw reasonably well, while a bit later in the day, McDonald has the nominal favourite for the Cup – Stunin Cullen.
The latter was purchased at the yearling sales for $65,000 and won the 2008 Sires Stakes over Tintin In America and Highview Tommy is a searing 1.54.1 mile rate, but McDonald bred Terror To Love himself from Love To Live, a black Live Or Die mare which showed no ability for the Courts.
“She was a beautiful pacer but she didn’t show us much,” said Paul.
“I was all for having her shot, but dad said she would leave a good horse,” he added.
Graham Court was right, except Love To Live has now left three colts and two of them have been good.

Stable star, Terror to Love made his racetrack return on the 21st October in a Sires Stakes heat where he ran a creditable 4th after being 3 back on the markers and the leaders running a 26 last 1/4. From there he went into the last Sires Stakes heat on the 30th of October where he won very well winning comfortably by 2 lengths and taking his place in the Sires Stakes final on Cup Day.
Unfortunately he was struck with an awful draw at 15. Things did not go his way but overall he ran on well finishing 7th only 3 lengths from the winner.

Cullens Moose made his race debut for a nice 4th at Rangiora taking him into the final on Show Day. But yet again, another draw at 15.

Seel N Print and Herbie's Bro are due to start their 3yr old campaign at Wyndham on Sunday. Genuine Art is making her race debut there as well.

Overall it's been a busy start to the season with the many 2yr olds we have going and the mares foaling.

18 July 2010

The last two months have been pretty quiet for our race team having only But But But and Noplacetohide racing who was a last start winner at Addington on the 6/7/10.
Noplacetohide won well after being bottled up 3 back on the markers and rattled home well running the distance 2600m mobile in 3.19 with a slick 57.2 last half.

We qualified very nice types in Live The Magic (2 g Live or Die-Magic in her Pocket), Fuengirola (2 c Artsplace-Pleiades maia) and Moon Boyz (3 g Brylin Boyz-Moon Princess) all three have been turned out for spells.

August 1st we will be starting back on the majority of our rising two year olds and also a number of our rising three year olds that have been out for spells.

With a number of our current racehorses being turned out or being sold it has cut our race team in half. But it won't be long until the next wave is due to trial with a handful of them already having gone to the workouts.
It has been a busy start to the month having brought back in 19 of our yearlings for their 2nd preparation.
On the family front, Taylor is growing well and is now sleeping through the night, not bad for a 9 week old!!!

Paul and his wife Chantelle have a new addition to the family, Taylor Thomas Court was born on the 7/3/10 weighing in at 8.12 lbs, both Taylor and his mother are doing very well.

After winning the Sapling Stakes, Terror To Love then went South to take in the New Zealand Kindergarten Stakes at Wyndham where he finished second in a sensational 1.54.3 only getting beaten right on the line by going off stride. We later found that due to the heat that day his hobbles had stretched an inch and a half. With his hobbles changed and all sorted he went to the Forbury Park Sires Stakes heat where he went another mighty race. After sitting outside the leader for the last 800m he skipped clear only to be run down by the horse in the trail running another fast time, 2.02.6 a 1.56 mile rate for the 1700m event.
Also that day Shing Bromac made a return to the track with a fast finishing third, and Motu Star Of Pacific won very well in a fast 3.00 for the mobile 2400m.
Herbies Bro and Seel N Print are both headed for the spelling paddock. With five horses trailing last week and again this week it won't be long until we have some more lining up at the races.

With only 3 horses racing over the last month, it has still been a very busy month having taking out the prestigious New Zealand Sapling Stakes (Group 3) for 2yr olds with Terror To Love, in which he destroyed his opponents with ease after leading all the way and clearing out to win by 2 1/4 lengths in a slick 1.58.4.
We also had good placings from other 2yr olds in Seel N Print went a super race and finished 3rd at Winton after working hard early and only just getting beaten by 1 1/4 lengths in track record time for 2yr olds in 1.56.5. Herbies Bro ran a very nice race at Addington in atrocious conditions finishing 3rd in his 1st race day start.

With the yearling sales just finished we have 16 new additions to the stable, colt by Falcon Seelster - Soky's Sunday , gelding by Sundon - Rite Effort , colt by P-Forty-Seven - Sneak Thru , colt by Falcon Seelster - Young Tegan , colt by McArdle - Dream Angel , filly by McArdle - Pleiades Maia , colt by Falcon Seelster - Magnificent Art , colt by Falcon Seelster - Classic Art , filly by Artsplace - Ask Me Later , colt by Artsplace - Talk To Me Later.

We are also forming a syndicate to take the ownership of 6 yearlings from the sales, colt by Artsplace - Born To Be Queen, filly by Artsplace - Christian Star, colt by Christian Cullen - Alice Of York, colt by P-Forty-Seven - Van Dyk, filly by P-Forty-Seven - No Paba, colt by McArdle - Under Cover Lover.

After a quiet couple of months getting our race team ready we've hit the ground running.
Time And A Place kicked off a fresh campaign at Forbury Park 11/12/09 with a great 2nd after being held up. Also starting her new season was
Motu Star Of Pacific who went a great fresh up race with 2nd in a junior drivers race after leading up and running a slick 2.43.8 for 2200m.
She then followed that up with a nice win in Invercargill on the 23/12/09. Also down in Invercargill were Time And A Place and But But But who ran a super race fresh up after doing a bit of work mid race to finish 2nd.
The later two were joined down south by Comebackmach for the Gore 27/12/09 and Winton 29/12/09 meetings.
Comebackmach who was also fresh up was in the Gore cup went a very nice race for a close up 4th, which went to a photo finish for 3rd.
He then went on to win and win very well at Winton running a slick 2.59.3 for 2400m. Time And A Place bounced back from his Invercargill race (where he raced below par but was found to have caught a bug on his travels), with a great win beating a smart type in Stirling Point and taking his tally to 3wins, one 2nd and two 3rds from only 9 race starts.

It's been a busy few months with all the mares foaling. We've had a big season with 12 colts and 21 fillies being born. Listed below are the results.

Hessie 1.57 - Jereme's Jet colt (half brother to Nitro 3 wins)
Falcon Magic 1.58 - Mach Three colt (half brother to No Escape 1.52)
Love To Live - Christian Cullen filly (half sister to Bad All Over 9 wins)
Fine Print 1.57 - Jereme's Jet filly
Futurist - Christian Cullen filly (half sister to Tuherbs)
New York Franco - Mach Three filly
Dynamic Dream 1.56 - Jereme's Jet colt
Sharjanter - Live Or Die colt
Magic In Her Pocket - Badlands Hanover filly
A Fine Lady - Badlands Hanover colt
Lamour 1.57 - Mach Three colt
Tizaway Tiz 1.57 - Jereme's Jet filly
She Sizzles - Falcon Seelster filly
Ask Me Later - Falcon Seelster filly (half sister to Ask McArdle)
Talk To Me Later - Mach Three filly (half sister to Talk To Me Courage, Earlier Not Later, Badlands Talk)
Ask Me Christian - Falcon Seelster filly
Try Me Franco - Mach Three filly
Art Lover 1.57 - Bettors Delight filly
Magnificent Art 1.56 - Bettors Delight filly
In The Stars 1.59 - Jereme's Jet colt
Star Of Peace 1.59 - Jereme's Jet filly
Christian Star - Art Major colt
Hilarious Rose - Badlands Hanover filly
Lady Midnight - Sundon filly
True Art - Jereme's Jet filly
Diamond Dancer - P. Forty Seven colt
Dream Dancer - Klondike Kid filly
Ides Of May 1.57 - Jereme's Jet colt
Smooth Maiden - Live Or Die colt (half brother to Yul Brunner)

Around the Stables
3 November 2009

Currently our racing team is pretty quiet at the moment with our past winner of two straight Pahiwi being sold along with Unbreakable and Courage Patron all moving on to Australia.
With a number of horses going to the trials over the past couple of weeks our race team is growing and shouldn't be far away from racing.

As for the breeding side of things we have had four of our mares foal; Hilarious Leigh had a stunning colt by Mach Three; Seymour Lass had a filly by Christian Cullen making it a full sister to Charles Bronson; Private Encounters had a filly by McArdle; Hot Talk had a filly by Jereme's Jet.

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