Life in a smaller harness racing stable and plenty of pampering has been the secret to the rejuvenation of Pegasus Spur gelding Sin Bin.
The well bred squaregaiter started his racing life with Ryal Bush trainer Nathan Williamson who managed to get a win out of him and a number of minor placings.
"He rang me in August and told me he was finished with him."
"He's a horse that takes a bit of work. John keeps him right with his chiropracting, and having Franksie (farrier Brendon Franks) in the ownership he keeps his shoeing right."
"John does a lot of massage with him."
"He seems to get quite sore around the girth and over the bum. He gets a lot of TLC from me and no one else drives him except me."
"I think he likes the smaller stable and bigger tracks," said co-trainer Tracie McGrannachan who trains the gelding with John Cox at Winton.
Sin Bin is out of the talented Sundon mare Jo Anne who won twelve races including the New Zealand Trotting Stakes as a two year old.
She was bred by Ashburton brothers Keith and Bevan Grice.
"I was just talking to Bevan."
"He's going to be ninety in a couple of months and he's absolutely stoked with the win. They ring me every few weeks to see how he's going. They absolutely love it."
Yesterday's win was the geldings second in eighteen starts and caps off two thirds and a last start second.
"The only time he hasn't gone good for us is was when he got pushed over the pegs at Cromwell."
McGrannachan says the big gelding isn't worked by himself as he tends to get keen and is difficult for her to hold.
"A lot of his work is done on the lead. I'm not strong enough to hold him. If I drop in behind John's back he's perfect – doesn't tighten the rein. If we go out by ourselves we're a gone burger."
Sin Bin is owned by Tracie, husband Murray, their nephew Quinn Stewart, Tracie's dad John Cook, Brendon Franks and John Cox.
The win was the first of three for Ryal Bush reinsman Shane Walkinshaw. He won the next race driving Comic Book Hero and won later in the day with The Big Boss.
Bruce Stewart – Southland Harness Racing – Check site here