Just An Excuse

Just An Excuse
Breed	Standardbred
Sire	Live Or Die (US)
Grandsire	Die Laughing
Dam	My Excuse
Maternal grandsire	Smooth Fella (US)
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	(1998-12-04)4 December 1998
Died	30 June 2008(2008-06-30) (aged 9)
Country	New Zealand
Trainer	Robert F. Mitchell (NZ)
Record
39 starts: 17 wins, 15 placings
Earnings
NZ$1,047,157
Last updated on: 5 November 2021.

Just An Excuse (4 December 1998 – 30 June 2008) was a champion New Zealand Standardbred racehorse, notable for twice winning the New Zealand Trotting Cup, in 2003 and 2004.[1]

Racing career

Bred by Ollie and Irene Haines,[2] trained by Robert Mitchell, and driven by Todd Mitchell, Just An Excuse won the following major races in New Zealand and Australia:[3]

• 2004 New Zealand Free For All, beating Mister D G and Jagged Account
• 2004 New Zealand Trotting Cup, beating Elsu and Howard Bromac[4]
• 2004 Ballarat Cup, beating Sokyola and Double Identity
• 2003 New Zealand Trotting Cup beating Elsu and Jack Cade
• 2003 New Zealand Messenger Championship, beating Sly Flyin and All Hart
• 2003 Noel J Taylor Memorial Mile, beating All Hart and Jagged Account

Just An Excuse was also placed:

• third in the 2005 New Zealand Trotting Cup behind Mainland Banner and Alta Serena
• second in the 2003 Auckland Pacing Cup behind Elsu

It was a testament to his class that he won the two New Zealand Cups and the New Zealand Free For All in spite of top-class competitors such as Elsu and Mister D G.

Just An Excuse died on 30 June 2008, needing to be put down after he broke his leg.[5]

See also

• Harness racing in New Zealand

References

1. "J is for Just An Excuse". Hrnz.co.nz.
2. "JUST AN EXCUSE TO BE HONOURED". Breckon Farms.
3. "Welcome to HRNZ". Hrnz.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
4. "Racing: Just An Excuse beats Elsu in NZ Trotting Cup repeat". NZ Herald.
5. Strong, Tayler (1 July 2008). "Racing: Just An Excuse breaks leg, put down". Otago Daily Times Online News.