Hurst's Future Stars Winner Has Big Shoes To Fill

FRANK Hurst reckons any of the three littermates he qualified for the final of the Ladbrokes Maitland Future Stars (400m) could have won the race.

He did with Ties That Bind in 22.33 beating Kitty Keen by three-quarters of a length with Blue Zephyr another two and-a-quarter lengths back in third.

Royally bred, Ties That Bind is by Fernando Bale from Good Odds Meghan, a litter sister to Hurst's superstar Good Odds Harada who, apart from winning the Million Dollar Chase and Dapto Megastar, also won the Maitland Future Stars to launch his career back in 2018.

Ties That Bind started $6 but her littermate Good Odds Zac went off as the $2.30 favourite and another litter member, Good Odds Emma, was first reserve.

“If the reserve had got a start she could have won it as well,” Hurst said.

Frank says there are no superstars in the litter but all of them are “pretty good”.

“The mother has a 10 month old litter by Barcia Bale and we have just decided to go back to Fernando Bale again with her,” he said.

“If we get a litter the same as this one we will be happy.”

Frank admits he has not done a great deal with the litter even though they are 20 months of age.

“Normally they would have been to Wenty for a couple of trials by now, but with the Covid lockdown we couldn't do that,” he said.

Frank Hurst's Ties That Bind has taken out the @Ladbrokes Future Stars Final at Maitland tonight, running 22.33s with Kitty Keen and Blue Zephyr behind her.

The last Future Stars winner trained by Frank Hurst? None other than Good Odds Harada!

Results: https://t.co/8QUrL927M2 pic.twitter.com/pWzBbP2m9r

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) October 25, 2021

“We will just poke along with them. There is no hurry with them.”

Legend Good Odds Harada continues to race as well as ever winning four of his past five starts.

“We are going to mate Good Odds Angel to him,” Frank said.

“She is due to come on before Christmas. We have not got any pups by him despite trying to buy a few.

“We've been breeding a few litters lately and will be selling some as well.”

The Maitland Future Stars sets a high standard.

Last year's race was won by Group race superstar Zipping Kyrgios.