Our Flash Harry wins first up for Kirkland
Big weekend for Invercargill horseman Sabin Kirkland who grabbed a first-up win with Our Flash Harry and added another couple of awards to the collection.
Jamie Searle is a long-time Southland racing writer. For more of his work head to the Southland Thoroughbred Facebook page.
Invercargill horseman Sabin Kirkland was a winner on and off the track at Ascot Park on Sunday.
His first starter Our Flash Harry won a maiden race in the hands of Cambridge apprentice Elen Nicholas, while Kirkland's classy sprinter-miler, Buoyant, was named Southland Horse of the Year at the presentation of the Southland Racing Awards, for the 2022-23 season, in the main grandstand's Top of the Park room.
Buoyant also won the Southland Sprinter of the Year title. The awards followed his naming as both the South Island Horse and Sprinter of the Year in Christchurch last month.
Kirkland and wife Clare own Buoyant who is now racing in Australia. They sold 60 percent of Buoyant's ownership earlier this year.
Buoyant is to be entered for the Weekend Hustler Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday and will go on to race at the Melbourne Cup carnival in the second week of November.
Kirkland trains Our Flash Harry for North Otago owner-breeder Michael Houlahan, of Hampden.
Our Flash Harry needed a foster mare after his dam, Blue Blond, died giving birth. Blue Blond left four offspring, the first two, Squid Roe and The Last Won, were winners from Kirkland's stable before being sold to Hong Kong.
Squid Roe won his only start for Kirkland and Houlahan in the 2-year-old race at the 2015 Riverton Easter meeting.
Kirkland and Houlahan lined up The Last Won twice for wins in a maiden 820m at Wingatui and a rating 65 1200m at Riccarton in the summer of 2019.
"Then he was off to Hong Kong," Kirkland said.
"[At one stage] he was the best sprinter in Hong Kong."
Their race names changed to Fortune Bo Bo (Squid Roe) and Highly Proactive in Hong Kong.
Blue Blond's other progeny, Buck Shellfish, had four placings in nine starts for Kirkland and Houlahan.
Our Flash Harry, Squid Roe and The Last Won were all sired by Coats Choice.
Plans for Kirkland's race team are for Sea Shepherd to be nominated for the open 1600m at Ashburton on Saturday, Imabuster to race at Gore on October 25 and Our Flash Harry likely to start in a $65,000 rating 65 1000m on the second day of the New Zealand Cup meeting at Riccarton on November 15.