Lauren died last weekend in Cambridge, aged 79.
From the early 1980s through 2024, she bred 66 horses and also trained 17 winners.
The best horse she was associated with was the multiple Group 1 winning mare Allegro Agitato. She co-owned the champion mare with husband Michael and trainer Phil Williamson.
Allegro Agitato was a five-time Group 1 winner and his CV includes the New Zealand Trotting Free For All in 2005 and the New Zealand Trotting Championship in 2004 and 2006.
Allegro Agitato’s breeders are listed as Denis Lauren, Pip Gerard and Sean McCaffrey, although for all intents and purposes McCaffrey says it was Roni and husband Michael who bred her.
“It was still in our name when she was served, but the foal was handed over to Roni when it was still a foal, but you can say she bred it,” says McCaffrey.
“It was her foal – her and Michael.”
After her retirement in 2008, Allegro Agitato (Sundon – Chiola’s Lass) moved into the broodmare stable and produced seven foals for the Laurens.
Of those, Gershwin (Muscles Yankee) had 11 wins, I Got Rhythm (Majestic Son) had seven and Lady Be Good (Andover Hall) and Itaintnecessablyso (Creatine) had six each.
“She had some good horses that she got good money for, but she was too attached to them to sell them,” McCaffrey says.
“She loved her own horses and treated them very well… she was always in the game, that’s for sure.”
The Laurens also came from I Got Rhythm. Her best offspring was Funny Face (Peak), who won seven in this country.
I Got Rhythm was the best horse Lauren trained. She achieved six victories with her.
In total she trained 14 horses and had 17 winners, the first win being with Pandora’s Box at Oamaru in 1997.
Many of the Laurens’ horses were named Pandora, including race winners Pandora’s Diamond (4), Pandora’s Rose (1), Pandora’s Hope (1) and Pandora’s Gambit (1).
“If they had a horse race, they’d be there with bells on,” McCaffrey says.
“She was more than enthusiastic about the sport.”
Lauren lived in North Otago for about twenty years before moving to Cambridge in 2012.
At Sunday’s meeting in Oamaru, the drivers honored Lauren by wearing black armbands in the Edinburgh Realty Waikouaiti Trotters Cup.
Fittingly, it was Practical Magic that took it out.
She is trained by Phil Williamson, who guided Allegro Agitato during her 22-win career.
HRNZ would like to express its condolences to the Lauren family.
#Vale #Veronica #Roni #Lauren