Octogenarians up late and go 1, 2, 3!

We all know experience counts in training trotters – and that came to the fore in bucketloads in the final event at the Summer of Glory harness racing meeting at Melton on Saturday night (Jan 28).

Geelong trainer Bob Kuchenmeister, aged 82, Warrnambool’s Geoff Senior, aged 84, and Ararat ‘youngster’ Terry Young, at just 80, completed the trifecta in the Western Ford Trot – undoubtedly a rare feat at a metropolitan meeting.

And Kuchenmeister upped the ante on his rivals, also being the driver of his brave-hearted mare Leeanne Leanne (Danny Bouchea) scoring narrowly over Icicle, driven by Jackie Barker, and Gaelic Lad, for Kerryn Manning.

For Kuchenmeister it was a notable personal career landmark, joining an elite group to drive winners at metropolitan meetings at all of Melbourne’s harness racing headquarters – the old Melbourne Showgrounds, Moonee Valley and Melton.

Although the event was a $10,000 stakes race, rather than a Metropolitan class event, the veteran horseman was happy to claim he’d ticked the box.

“I would have been 37 when I won at the Showgrounds – I was 30 when I started,” Kuchenmeister told TrotsVision after the win.

“It’s near enough, isn’t it?  I’ve got to say that.  I think she can (win a $20k race) but I would need to get a better run than that!” he said.

Leeanne Leanne came out of the gate strongly and unsuccessfully contested the lead before parking in the death-seat outside Ebonys Avenger for the duration. Leeanne Leanne pulled away in the run home, but the win wasn’t without its anxious moments, with Icicle and Gaelic Lad coming strongly at Leeanne Leanne late.

The unflappable Kuchenmeister, however, seemed to have only momentary doubts, despite the half head margin.

“I did start to get a bit concerned (when they were coming at me)!” he said.

“I kind of thought she would fight it out. I’m not the driver, she is – she gets her nose in front and she says, ‘I’m staying there’ – that’s her.

“But on the corner, she started to buckle a bit and I thought, ‘ooh you are being a bit naughty’! I had to grab hold a fraction. I steadied her a bit and she just said no I want to win and off she went.”

Kuchenmeister bounced back after heart surgery 20 years ago and recorded another career first with Leeanne Leanne late last year, contesting the Melbourne InterDominion series and is clearly loving the sport as much as he ever has.

“When you are 82 you don’t bounce around as much as you did when you were 42, though,” he laughed.

For the record, the career scorecard for the trifecta-ing octogenarians is: Kuchenmeister 76 wins (two Group 3s with Illawong Ian (Keystone Salute); Geoff Senior 97 wins and Terry Young 126 wins (2 Group 1s and three Group 3s with Deltasun (Tennotrump).

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink