BLOODY AWESOME!
STILL basking in the glory of breeding his maiden Group One winner, John Rutter described the moment in the most Aussie way…”bloody awesome!”
Rutter’s “life highlight” was recorded at Club Menangle last weekend when Captains Knock captured a New South Wales Breeders’ Challenge Final.
Making the six-hour round trip from Duns Creek with his family – wife Kristen and their three children Emily, William and Ashleigh – Rutter stated he couldn’t contain his excitement as the two-year-old strode to victory.
Trained and driven by Brad Hewitt, Captains Knock covered the mile in 1:52.9 as Better Be The Best and Montalbano filled the placings.
By Captaintreacherous, the colt took his record to an impressive six wins and three placings from nine starts for earnings of $150,487.
“It is the first time I’ve been trackside to watch him race and we all drove three hours to be there,” Rutter said. “Knowing I have bred a Group One winner is a life highlight…bloody awesome.
“He is the fifth foal I have bred, and not only is he now my first Group One winner, he is actually the first winner I’ve bred.”
Obtaining his love for horses via his grandfather Bill Stinson, Rutter made the transition from thoroughbreds after watching former top pacer Shakamaker during a “night at the trots”.
The performance which sealed Rutter’s involvement in harness racing was Shakamaker’s Inter Dominion heat success in Newcastle on March 5, 2002.
“My grandfather was a thoroughbred trainer in Cessnock and he taught me to ride, so I suppose it’s what planted the seed,” Rutter explained.
“I went out for a night at the trots in Newcastle where I ran into a guy I knew who said ‘come watch this horse’…it was Shakamaker who put in a massive run and I was instantly hooked.”
Purchasing his first broodmare, Pukemanu Girl, soon after, Rutter enjoyed little luck with the matron, but that failed to dampen his enthusiasm.
With Pukemanu Girl “getting on in years”, Rutter began the search for a replacement before settling on Scarlett Finn.
A lightly-raced daughter of In The Pocket, which registered five wins and 10 placings from 28 starts, Scarlett Finn had two winners from four starters before entering Rutter’s care.
“My first entry was buying a broodmare a few weeks after buying a property in Duns Creek,” Rutter said. “I bred four foals from her, but none went on to do anything.
“She was getting on in years so I started looking for another mare and came across Scarlett Finn
“She’d missed a few times between foals, but I liked her breeding and bought her.
“Captains Knock is the first foal I bred from her and she has just had a colt by Downbytheseaside
“I like to breed one every couple of years as a hobby…something to do on the weekends to keep me sane!”
- HARNESS BREEDERS NSW