The Brian Norman trained Ace Commander capitalised on a good trip to win the R40 R53 Trot at Wyndham this afternoon.
The four year old Monarchy gelding was trained last season by Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen before being transferred south to Norman who has a share in the horse.
"I wanted to have a crack at getting into the Jewels last season so I sent him north. Things came a bit unstuck. He actually had a hairline fracture in his back off hind leg. He was probably hanging before he left here and I think it was the reason he hung all the time. It's pinned now and he drives as straight as," said Norman.
He returned to Norman last year and made his debut for the Takakopa trainer at Gore at the end of last year.
"I was confident in his ability (today) but it was whether he was fit enough. He's still pretty round. We raced at Gore just to try and get some weight off him and he wasn't really a winning chance that day. He had a trial at Gore on Friday, beat Golden Gate so that improved him. That run today would also improve him so hopefully we're going forward."
Ace Commander is out of the Sundon mare Aceofdiamonds which won seven races for Sam Moore. She's left a number of winners, the best being Sky Commander which won three races here for Ryal Bush trainer Brett Gray before he was exported to Australia. He's won a further thirteen races there and has been placed in a number of group races including second to Speeding Spur in the 2015 Group One Victoria Trotters Derby. He was initially trained by Brian Norman before being bought by Merv Butterworth and transferred to the Gray stable.
"Sky Commander was a brilliant trotter. Whatever you asked him to do he'd do and keep going all day. This fella was a wee bit flighty but he got more speed and he's good this year."
Ace Commander (7) beating Scarlett Lane by a neck – Photo Bruce Stewart.
Norman says he's currently training twelve horses on his 540 acre farm at Tahakopa in the Catlins. He has a clay based undulating track in a paddock which he says is okay for older horses but not ideal to educate younger stock.
"I use the beach and go to Wyndham with the young ones. The horses love it down there but it's hard going. You just have to travel everywhere. I come to Wyndham once a week and just work around the track."
Meanwhile local Wyndham committee man Brendon Fahy scored a double on his home course today.
Raksbet a nicely bred Bettor's Delight filly out of Raksplace won her maiden race against the three year old fillies and older mares by a length and three quarters. She's a half sister to Raksdeal, Raksmach and Rakarolla.
Raksbet (5) beating High Line by a length and a half – Photo Bruce Stewart.
Raksbet is trained by Clark Barron. Later in the day Rakarover won for Fahy and trainer Peter Hunter.
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing
Ace Commander winning at Wyndham