Hilldale’s back home and winning!

It wasn’t a flashy win, or even a high-stakes one, but it meant the world to veteran Mount Gambier harness racing trainer Ken Dihm and his wife Helen, when their prodigal son pacer Hilldale Sunrise (Dawn Ofa New Day) returned to the winner’s circle at Horsham (Feb 1).

It was the pacer’s first win in over two years, and the seventh career victory for the nine-year-old, who was originally trained by Dihm from his three-year-old season.

“We raced him for his first few seasons, then the owners sent him to South Australia, and then he ended up racing up in Mildura,” Dihm said.

“But once he was going to finish racing and didn’t have anywhere else to go, my wife Helen wouldn’t let him go. She said he had to come home, so that’s what happened,” he said.

“So, he was a giveaway, and Helen owns him now – the last horse she owned was Helens Pleasure (32 wins 1988 – 1992). We were absolutely over the moon with the win.”

Hilldale Sunrise started from barrier five at Horsham, but was driven to perfection by Brent Howard, who managed to find the leader’s back and score by a half head.

For complete race results, click here.

The Dihm stable currently has just two in work: Hilldale Sunrise and Bayside Victory (Shadow Play) who won four races last season before suffering a tendon injury.

“Hilldale Sunrise is a lovely old horse and I’ve been bringing Bayside Victory along slowly.  But he is going well again, and I think he is a pretty good horse if I can keep him sound,” he said.

Dihm, a baker and publican by trade, found his way into harness racing around 50 years ago, after completing his national service.

Prior to his Army service he had enjoyed speedway, racing a Mini Cooper S, but found it too costly and gravitated towards his love of the trots. He also married Helen Rothall, whose dad Bill was heavily involved in the sport.

“My best horse in the early days was Robotto (bred by Bill Rothall) and we were very lucky to have him.  He won a lot of races for us and gave us our start.  Our place here at Glenburnie is Robotto Lodge, named after him,” Dihm said.

“Then later we had Helens Pleasure (Royal Rabbit) who we bred, and she took us everywhere,” he said.

“She won the South Australian Oaks (Gr 1) and the Ladyship Stakes in South Australia, a prelude of the Sires in Victoria, then ran third in the final. She finished runner up in the Oaks to Jane Ellen then we sent her to Vinny Knight and in the 4yo Sires she won her prelude and finished runner up in the final.”

Helens Pleasure returned to the Dihm stable and went on to win the Ladyship Cup (Gr 2) at Moonee Valley and the Queen of Hearts at Albion Park in Brisbane.

Dihm has always trained a few horses, admitting on occasions it was a “hobby that got out of hand”, with teams of up to 40 horses at times.

“I spent a bit of time down at Portland with Peter Tonkin, but mostly it’s been a hobby, although I did go professional for a couple of years,” he said.

“Helen was always with me all the way.  She used to work fast work with me and jog them, and we both absolutely love the sport. We’ve had a few health issues, so I’m happy to be able to be back in it, and it gives Helen an interest – she is pretty limited in what she can do these days, but she follows all of the races, greyhounds and harness racing.”

Dihm said Helen had survived cancer and three strokes, as well as having two knee replacements.

“People always say to me that if I could get a horse as tough as Helen, I’d win everything!” he laughed.

“My goal is just to get a horse down to Melton for her – I’ve bought a station wagon, and if I can get one to Melton, even for a day meeting, she will make that trip because she’s never been.

“She managed to get to the Mount Gambier meeting a couple of weeks ago, and people were around her like bees around a honeypot! It gave her a huge lift.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink