b4breeding

The loss of Kerry Hoggard is huge, and only outstripped by the legacy he has left – such an astute business mind, a wider intelligence, a passion for breeding and always willing to talk with the smallest players in the game like me, a small breeder up at the Auckland workouts to watch a yearling of mine he bought at the sales step out on to the track for the first time (that was Destination Moon).

His full contribution to the developments at Alexandra Park and to dragging harness racing into the modern era will only be seen a few years down the track. He was part of a team up there that I really admire for their ability to rise above the petty politics of racing and push new, innovative ideas through but with as much buy-in as they can get.

People still gripe about the tough racing at Alexandra Park, but in the end it is setting a standard we should be striving for – good racing, better stakes, and a well run operation that delivers fine entertainment.

Thank you, Kerry, for all you have done to help this industry mature and set its sights higher and wider.