Such is the ease in which star Southland pacer U May Cullect is winning, today driver and co-trainer Kirstin Barclay had to remind the five year old that getting to the line first is what good pacers do.
“I had to give him a wee slap today. He’s just got into the habit of pulling up because there’s no competition. He’s actually going to be better coming off their backs. But really happy as that was a nice step up in grade,” she said after the gelding scored another emphatic victory at Winton today.
From barrier three Barclay took the Tom Kilkelly owned gelding straight to the top and he easily won the 1609 metre trip by three lengths from stablemate Paddyproudfoot.
“Paddy went super. I was rapt with a wee man.”
The winning time was 1-53.1.
“There was a race for him at Addington but we decided to stay down here and support the local clubs at the end of the season because people are coming out to see him.”
U May Cullect winning today
Although in front again today, Barclay says she’d like to educate U May Cullect to race in the field.
“If we can get a preferential race he should get a draw and take a sit. The first time in that higher grade that’s what I’d like to do to give him confidence.”
So what’s next?
“No plans. We’ll take him week by week. He still needs a spell somewhere along the line.”
U May Cullect returning after winning – Photo Bruce Stewart
This was the gelding’s fifth start and fifth win and I can’t remember the last Southland trained pacer to win their first five starts.
Microscopic, after running fourth on debut won his next six races while Honkin Vision ran second on debut then won four straight.
Later in the day today the Mitchell Kerr trained Zinny Mac driven by Nathan Williamson broke the track record for three year old colts and geldings.
His time of 2-54.3 was 0.1 of a second better than the previous record broken in December by Robyns Playboy.
The win was one of two for Kerr who trained Justasec to win the last race of the day. The win was also one of three for Southland’s leading reinsman Nathan Williamson.
Meanwhile Jonny Cox did the right thing for his family by winning the Cox Family Celebration Trot on the Amber Hoffman trained Imran Khan. The Pegasus Spur six year old won by an impressive five lengths and Cox threw in a victory salute well before the winning post for good measure.
Back to the birdcage – Photo Bruce Stewart
Imran Khan is part-owned by Trackside presenter Mark McNamara and Matt Cross, jockey Samantha Wynn and ODT Journalist Jonny Turner.
Bruce Stewart