James Stormont trained and driven trotters have won at the last two Alexandra Park meetings, but the Pukekohe horseman fears his wins may dry up if he keeps losing his race-team to Australia.
The Stormont trained and driven Shady Sadie notched up her third win of the season and first at Alexandra Park in last night’s feature trot – the $14,999 Primor Produce Handicap for the R62 to R98 squaregaiters.
“It’s good to be back winning again, but of my 10 horses in work I’ve only got three racehorses. The others have either been sold to Australia and now that this mare has won I think I might lose her to Australia too.
“The new handicapping system makes it tough. It seems horses reach their mark and then owners are left with nowhere to go but sell and race them in Australia,” Stormont said.
Seven nights earlier Stormont trained and drove I’m Just Awesome to win an Up To R56 Trot by two-and-three quarter length victory at the same venue. That triumph came an hour after he steered the Frank Cooney and Tate Hopkins trained Solid Gold to win a 2-year-old pace.
“I’m having a nice wee run of form of late and you never get sick of that winning feeling, but in racing it’s those lean times that hurt the most.
“I own I’m Just Awesome and I’m now left with the decision with ‘where to now?’. I know the owners of Shady Sadie and Loud An Proud have the Australia option in the back of their minds,” Stormont said.
“I’ve got a few young ones coming through but one them recently got injured. I’ve just got to enjoy every win while I can. Who knows what the future holds,” he added.
Shady Sadie was fractious at the start and tried to crash through the starting wire the first time, but when wheeled around a second time, Stormont timed the start perfectly to lead (from gate three) after 100m.
Stormont then dictated all the pace in front to win the 2200m stand in 2:49.3 (mile rate 2:0.8). They came home in 58.6 and 29.6.
The 4-year-old Majestic Son – Dutch Annie mare had three quarters of a length and one and a quarter lengths to spare over Djokovic (Dr Luk Chin) and KD Hall (Jack MacKinnon).
Shady Sadie was the $25.20 eighth favourite (of 12), unlike last Friday when she was the favourite and finished 78 lengths last.
"She stepped away nicely this time and that was the difference. She had a couple of months off in January and has come back a lot stronger this campaign.
"In fact it was her strength that got her home tonight. She bowled along quite easily in front tonight. If she doesn't go to Australia I'll race her throughout the winter," Stormont said.
Even though Shady Sadie has now qualified sixth ($21,967) for the $100,000 McMillan feeds 4yo Ruby Trot Final at Ashburton on June 3 she won't be heading south.
"It's financially not worth it. We would be racing for place money, at best, against some nice ones like Marcoola, Lemond, and Dark Horse.
"The ideal plan would be to win a couple more with her over the winter – and she can do that because she's coming to it nicely now," Stormont said.
Up until last night’s assignment Shady Sadie had raced seven times at Alexandra Park for no wins and no placings.
“She’s a nice trotter and will get better. I just wish she had more stablemates to knock around with back home,” Stormont said.
Shady Sadie is owned by Allister Scott, Peter Fausett, Aaron Hill, and Peter O'Connor. The brown mare was bred by Tony and Anne Parker.
The brown mare has now won has now won four of her 21 starts and placed in four other races ($28,924) since making her winning debut at Cambridge Raceway on Janurary 1 last year.
Shady Sadie has also provided Stormont with half of his training wins (6) in 2016-2017. He’s also saluted the judge 14 times in the sulky.
Meanwhile, a return to mobile racing worked the oracle for the Brent Mangos trained and Kyle Marshall driven Maxim in the feature pace – the $14,999 Powell Transport Mobile for the R81 to R109 ranked pacers.
The 6-year-old Bettor's Delight – Splendid Dreams gelding started from the outside of the front line (8) but Marshall still managed to work him into the one-one after 150m metres.
That move was the winning of the race. Maxim was too strong in the lane stopping the clock in 2:03.1. His mile rate for the 1700m mobile was 1:56.5. he came home in 57.2 and 27.5.
Maxim has now won nine of his 29 starts – seven from behind the mobile arm and three at Alexandra Park. He has amassed just under $440,000 in career stakes.
The bay gelding is owned by Katrina Purdon, Trevor Casey, John Lohman, Terry Henderson, The Clear View Racing Number Four Syndicate, and The Anzac Racing Syndicate.
He was bred by Charles Roberts.
Duane Ranger