The popular veteran of Victoria’s northern region harness racing region, Wrinkle Knutt, has again given his younger rivals a pacing lesson with another win on his home track.
Courtesy of a gem of a drive by leading reinswoman Kerryn Manning, the 13-year-old scored by two metres at Mildura – a result that blew most punters out of the water!
Wrinkle Knutt (Safely Kept-Styx Mistress (In The Pocket USA) won at 50/1 in the Tenderprint Australia Pace last Friday, his 17th victory in a racing career now spanning more than a decade.
Trainer Jason McGinty said the veteran, with a total of 323 starts (17 wins and 66 placings for $120,000) beside his name, just loves going to the races.
“We actually decided to retire him a while ago and he went around in the double-seated sulky exhibition events at Mildura for a win and a third,” McGinty said.
“I hadn’t changed his daily routine – he was still getting fed, trained and shod the same as when he was racing,” he said.
“I was still preparing him as a race-horse, and one day just out of the blue I decided to nominate him for a Mildura meeting. I got into trouble with my wife Natasha, because she’d thought his time was up when we made the decision, and he’d only been retired a few weeks!
“But he hasn’t any issues at all and thoroughly enjoys competing and Natasha’s happy to have him back at the races.
“He’s such a lovely old fella and I really like him probably because he’s no fuss – each day he just does whatever I ask of him in his training and then he happily goes back in his paddock.”
Wrinkle Knutt is owned by Natasha and sons Josh, Sam and Wil. The McGinty family has raced Wrinkle Knutt in all but 15 starts of his career starts.
“Ballarat trainer Rob McCartney had him early on and after running five placings from 15 starts, he decided to sell him. I think we paid $3000 or $4000 for him so he’s certainly paid his way,” McGinty said.
The Victorian “drop back rule”, which allows horses to go back a class if they don’t win in 10 starts, has undoubtedly enabled Wrinkle Knutt’s extended racing career.
“He put two or three wins together a few years ago and was down to a C5 so that would have nearly ended him, but the drop back rule has been the greatest thing for longevity of horses,” McGinty said.
“We have had a few milestones set for his retirement, like $100,000 in stakes and 300 race starts – but we’ve passed both of those, so we’ll keep plodding along while he’s fit and healthy.”
Over the years, of the many drivers engaged to drive Wrinkle Knutt, the most successful has been Ellen Tormey, of Bendigo, with six wins; followed by McGinty with four; Bec Bartley and Jake Kerridge two apiece, and Josh Puckeridge, Andrew Vozlic and now Kerryn Manning with one win each.
“As for a long-term investment, he’s been a damn good one…we just wish a few more like him would come along!” McGinty said.
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura