The art of being a harness racing trainer is undoubtedly a test of patience, and Victorian horseman John McGillivray passes that test with flying colors on any measure!
The distinctive McGillivray silks of green, yellow strips and orange sleeves bobbed up on Warragul Cup Day behind the only horse the 71-year-old trains, that being nine-year-old Lotakevi (Stonebridge Regal – Lotasilkari (Iraklis).
And while the 100-1 shot winner caught punters off guard, it was no great surprise to McGillivray, and provided a happy reunion for a winning combination.
Watch the race replay click here!
“Dasha (reinsman Daryl Douglas) hasn’t driven for us for 11 or 12 years, and the last horse he won on for us was Lotakevi’s mother, Lotasilkari,” McGillivray said.
“When I saw he was down to drive a couple at Warragul, and I needed a driver, my wife Rhonda and I were rapt to have him on – and he got the job done! Dash’s our pinup boy alright!” he joked.
“Dasha” Douglas and John McGillivray renewed acquaintances in the best possible way at Warragul
McGilivray has been in the sport for 30 years, and in that time has raced only eight horses as a trainer.
“Actually, in addition to Lotakevi and Lotasilkari, we raced Lotakevi’s grandmother, too, Lotaliberty,” he said.
“My 60th birthday present was a service for Lotasilkari, and I was a bit keen to go to Diggers Idol. Rhonda had picked up a picture at the Ballarat trots one night of Stonebridge Regal though and she loved the look of him. So while I was still thinking about it, Rhonda just booked ‘Emily” in to Stonebridge Regal!” he said.
“We lost her first foal, but exactly 12 months later to the day, on November 14, 2011, along came Kevi.”
That was only the beginning, however.
“Kevi was all ready to go to the races when he did a suspensory, and he did a good job of it, too. The vet Hugh Cathels described it as a ‘horrible suspensory’ and he used pretty strong language, which he doesn’t normally do, but it is a terrible looking leg,” McGillivray said.
“We did all the right things, gave him the time he needed and put in the TLC and we finally got him to the races (in July 2018). Since then he’s won three for us, which doesn’t sound brain snapping, but he’s run 21 placings as well from his 85 starts. It’s around 25 percent, which isn’t too bad.
“We’ve had a great time with him – both Rhonda and I love being in the sport, and Kevi’s won $35,000 and half a VicBred bonus, which we never thought we’d see. He’s part of the family, dead set!”
Stewards queried the improved performance of Lotakevi after the Warragul win, but McGillivray said although the victory was a little unexpected, he wasn’t totally surprised.
“They (stewards) have got to and that’s fair enough, but it’s the old story – he’s actually been racing all right. I have been training him a little differently though, and I think that’s made a difference with his issues,” McGillivray said.
“Since we bought a jogger in November, Kevi hasn’t been trained in the cart at all – he goes on the jogger every day, and really his only fastwork is at the races. I think it’s agreeing with him because since November he’s had a personal best time, and second personal best time, and at Warragul, everything just fell into place.”
McGillivray is based at the Croydon Light Harness Club, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
“It’s a fantastic little setup with a few hobby trainers – they tried to close us down a few years back, but we survived. There’s around eight horses here that are currently racing and everyone is a hobby trainer, so we all work in together and help each other out,” he said.
“Just being in the sport is great for both of us. Rhonda had to have a stay in hospital just before Easter, so she couldn’t get to Warragul, but the win has given her a huge lift. We always buy a photo, and every time you walk past that, you smile again.
“For both of us, it’s probably just the people, here at the track, and in the sport in general. When we got the win, it was the last race and there still would have been 30 people who came up and congratulated me and the phone ran hot!
“It keeps you active and it keeps you thinking, and you never stop learning. I very rarely sit in the cart these days, but just sitting behind your horse, and contemplating life, it’s magic.”
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura