Harness racing driver Ricky May is never one to rate a horse unless he is very confident in its ability.
When we were doing the Harnesslink ringaround prior to Christmas, Ricky had a lot of handy drives at Westport the first day but settled on Seel The Deal.
He was adament that if you could just hold him up for one run, Seel The Deal had a blinding burst of speed which not many on the coast would be able to deal with.
The first day just didn't pan out at all with Seel The Deal getting all the wrong breaks and ending up an unlucky fifth.
Yesterday Ricky had Seel The Deal away well to trail the talented Idealindiamonds but then ended up three back when Living Legend took up the lead.
Seel The Deal was still three back on the inner as they turned for home and his chances didn't look great but when Idealindiamonds which had moved into the passing lane ran out a touch, Ricky and Seel The Deal were through in an instant and but for a rough stride eighty metres out would have won by a lot more than three quarters of a length.
Ricky had that told you so look on his face post race when speaking to Harnesslink.
" If he can get a run like that, he has a devastating sprint"
" I didn't think the gap was going to open at first but Idealindiamonds ran out a touch half way up the straight.
" It was a tight gap and I was just about through when I had to check him off Idealindiamonds when he was really flying which is why he put that rough stride in.
" Otherwise I think he would have won by several lengths the way he was going," Ricky said.
The trainer Grant McStay has had a lot of luck with this family over a long time especially on the grass track circuits.
The result of the race was a great advertisement for the Woodlands stallion American Ideal who produced the trifecta in Seel The Deal, Idealindiamonds and Star Of Dionysis.
Harnesslink Media