Photo: Harness Racing Victoria
Home he goes: Jacksboy sails to the finishing line at Melton last Friday night to give reinsman Corey O’Donoghue his first win.
It was nearly a good bet to happen, but it took a little longer than expected.
Corey O’Donoghue always knew at some stage of his life he would probably be working with standardbreds for a living.
After all his father Steve is a prominent Shepparton trainer and his mother Ann came from a family of trots trainers and enthusiasts.
But O’Donoghue’s first fully paid job wasn’t mucking out the stables for his dad, but as a refrigeration mechanic.
That was up to two years ago when he decided to get into the trots industry that he always had a keen interest in.
He got a job with leading trainer-driver Lisa Miles, a position that lasted several months which involved some valuable lessons and another tick in his progression in the industry.
Then his journey took him back to Shepparton and his father’s training establishment on the banks of the Goulburn River at Kialla.
Now 25, O’Donoghue made his debut as a driver at Bendigo on December 22 finishing third on Jacksboy.
This was followed by drives on Nomoreflying on Cobram Cup day on January 8 who was unplaced.
His next drive was on Herehecomes, who also finished seventh at Kilmore on January 13.
Then it was off to Melton last Friday night when Jacksboy provided him with his first win as a reinsman.
And it was a special win in more ways than one.
Driven a patient race four back in the running line O’Donoghue unleashed Jacksboy 600m from the judge, demolishing his rivals and beating the second horse Caruso by 22m.
The added joy of the win is O’Donoghue does the track work with Jacksboy and he made the the trip with the pacer to the track by himself.
Like O’Donoghue, Jacksboy has also been a late starter and is a seven-year-old by Art Major who has now won three of 16 starts.
And to make the win even more memorable Jacksboy rated a 1:57.3 PB.
Certainly a day and night to remember for O’Donoghue.
Frost leaves punters cold
Shepparton trainer-driver Connor Crook gave another reminder of his training skills when he produced pacer Fynn Frost for a stirring win last Friday night at Melton.
Crook brought the Always A Virgin eight-year-old gelding from second last over the final 400m to swamp his rivals at odds of 30/1 on the tote.
Fynn Frost is no stranger to winning having scored at Shepparton two starts previously and boasting 17 wins and 20 placings in 97 starts which have earned him $163,000 in prizemoney.
Crook has had the veteran pacer only for his past eight starts and has now won three races with him, having scored his first win for him at Wagga in October when having his second start for the stable.
Serg surges to front
An aggressive Ryan Duffy drive landed Serg Blanco a big winner at last Saturday night’s Ballarat Cup meeting.
Duffy sent the five-year-old son of Bettors Delight to the front running position early from barrier six and then produced at the business end to leave his rivals in his wake with a dominant display.
It was Serg Blanco’s third win in 12 starts for trainer Steve Duffy and there have been six minor placings.
Given two starts earlier he had run second to Curly James in the Cobram Pacing Cup he paid a handsome $5 for the win.
Close, but no cup cigar
Goulburn Valley reinsmen couldn’t quite bring off a win in the $150,000 Ballarat Pacing Cup, but filled two of the first four placings.
David Moran brought the Emma Stewart-trained Honolua Bay from last with a sweeping run to finish second behind the winner, the Kiwi Copy That, while Mark Pitt finished fourth on another of the Stewart team, Mach Dan.
Copy That has a Goulburn Valley connection with his sire American Ideal standing at the Northern Rivers Stud at Kyabram.
Wowee Yoee
Trotter Yoee’s win at Cobram last Friday topped another good week for district trainers and owners.
The four-year-old son of Bacardi Lindy was stepping out for the first time for new trainers Bec Bartley and Steve O’Donoghue and, after sitting three back on the outside, sustained a strong finishing burst over the final 400m to account for the Laura Crossland-trained and driven Aristotle, with the favourite and pacemaker Lettuce Trot third for Russell and Nathan Jack in a district trifecta.
Bred by Kyabram Football Club premiership coach Peter Lyon and friend Dave Newman, father of Kyabram sporting great Paul, Yoee is owned by John O’Brien.
O’Brien has been a staunch trots stalwart of many years and once owned the Stanhope property now in the hands of Mark Pitt and Lisa Bartley and the resting place of the great pacer Mount Eden, the 1971 Miracle Mile winner.
In 17 starts prior to his latest win Yoee was prepared by Lancaster horsewoman Carmel Belot on lease from O’Brien and scored at his fourth start for her at Kilmore in March last year.
With Belot needing hip surgery O’Brien then entrusted the BartleyO’Donoghue team to take over Yoee’s training.
Certainly the new trainers are going to have a big challenge keeping up their strike rate with Yoee.
Lastlady is first home
Pacing mare Presidentslastlady returned to the winners’ list at Cobram for Congupna trainer Mark Lee and reinswoman Stacey Towers.
The seven-year-old daughter of Auckland Reactor made it two wins in her past five starts on the Cobram track with a well judged Towers drive, comfortably beating the John Newberry-trained and Matt Newberry-driven Shez Elite and the Donna Castles-driven Lils Nightmare.
Presidentslastlady has swapped racing campaigns between NSW, when Tower’s mother Kerry takes the training reins, and Victoria when Lee puts on the polish.
Presidentslastlady has now had the 67 starts for six wins and 17 minor placings for $47,000 in earnings.
Express to success
Shepparton reinsman Lee Sutton hit the ground running at the Cobram meeting.
Sutton was aboard the Chilternprepared Sonic Express in the opening race and made every post a winner, taking the lead early before handing up and then sprint laning to his maiden win at his 26th try.
But there had been eight minor placings in those outings, so it was just a matter time before he broke his duck and those who stuck with him were rewarded, as he paid $8 for the win.
Sutton also drove the Steve Duffy-trained Wemadefreo and the Russell Jack-prepared Will He Pike into second placings.
Day for bridesmaids
Bunbartha horseman John Newberry chalked up a hat-trick at Cobram.
Not with wins, but with second placings.
The Newberry-trained Diamond Eclipse, Shez Elite and Feeling Enerjetic all chased home the winner in their respective races.
John partnered Diamond Eclipse and Feeling Engerjetic in their races, while his son Matt drove Shez Elite.
The second-placed cheques totalled $2800 for the Newberrys who own and race the three pacers and, although it could have been a lot more lucrative, it was still a good day’s work.
Pekin bobs up again
Stanhope horseman Gary Pekin continued a hot recent spell with another nice priced winner at Cobram.
Pekin brought the 16/1 chance Harnett with a well timed run in a busy finish to nab the pacesetter and favourite Fly Like An Angel at the finishing line.
A four-year-old Pet Rock mare it was Harnett’s second win from 30 tries with the only other win achieved at Albury in September.
And it was a satisfying win in more ways than one as Pekin and his wife Jane own the pacer.
Pekin had produced another of his team Cresco Threepeat for a win at Kilmore the previous week at nice odds, so is on good terms with himself at present.
Killing it at Kilmore
District horsemen enjoyed their share of success at Wednesday’s Kilmore meeting.
Avenel trainer David Aiken scored with trotter Twixten, Craig Turnbull got the money with My Sweet Sabrina, Col Godden was successful with Art On Fire and Keith Cotchin was successful with smart mare Sassiness.
Aiken scored a satisfying with Twixten, driving the six-year-old gelding to his second win in nine starts.
Aiken has a strong connection to Twixten who is out of the top racemare Cold Sister, who he won 19 races with, and was bred by his wife Colleen.
Having only her eighth start My Sweet Sabrina, driven by the trainer’s daughter Abbey, was most impressive racing in the death seat early and then running down the pacemaker Mahindi at the finishing post in 1:54.0 mile rate time for the 1690m trip.
A four-year-old mare by Always B Miki, My Sweet Sabrina had finished second on the track at her previous start to indicate she was ready to win.
Nanneella trainer Godden scored with Art On Fire who was given the run of the race by reinsman Josh Duggan and staved off several challengers over the concluding stages.
Art On Fire was having his second start in Australia after winning once and being placed three times in five outings in New Zealand before joining Godden.
He had run second in his Aussie debut on the same track the previous week and those punters who stuck with him were rewarded with odds of 10/1.
Four-year-old pacing mare Sassiness broke back into the winners’ list for Elmore trainer Cotchin, edging out the Tongala-prepared outsider Trumpys Legend by a head.
Sassiness, driven by Ryan Duffy, had not won for 12 starts, but had form going into the race and punters jumped on and sent her out an even money favourite.
She now has a record of two wins and six placings from 17 starts.
Coming up
Today: Shepparton (n)
Tomorrow: Melton (n)
Sunday: Geelong (d)
Monday: Maryborough (d), Mildura (n)
Tuesday: Geelong (n)
Wednesday: Horsham (d), Bendigo (n)
Thursday: Yarra Valley (d), Shepparton (n)
