Young Raklou impresses Hunter

Ryal Bush harness racing trainer Peter Hunter doesn’t train a lot of juveniles, but he’s excited about Raklou (Sweet Lou) after her impressive win at Rangiora on Sunday (May 7).

“I’ve never trained one like her before and it’s a novelty to have a horse like her (laughter). We’ve taken our time with her and from the first time I took her off the place she hasn’t looked back. I got Tom Nally to drive her the first few times and he couldn’t believe how street wise she was for a young horse,” Hunter said.

In Sunday’s race Raklou sat parked for a short period. Then Hunter took her to the top and she rolled to the finishing post to notch up an easy win.

“I was never worried sitting parked because she relaxes and when you ask her to go, she goes for you. She’s just one of those horses that’s got the gift of knowing what to do when.”

The winning margin at the end of the 2000 metres was three and a half lengths with Melody Banner (Captaintreacherous) running second. The overall time was 2-27.9 with the last 800 metres cut out in 56.0 and 400 in 27.4.

RAKLOU REPLAY

Hunter says the horse will stay at his sister-in-law’s place (Megan Swain) at Leeston and race again at Addington on 19th of May in the $18,000 Bionic Chance Bracelet over 1980 metres. The $23,000 Group Three Helen Pope Fillies Classic at Ashburton in early June is another race Hunter could target.

Raklou is owned by southern breeder Brendon Fahy who uses the prefix ‘Raka’ for the colts and ‘Raks’ for the fillies when naming his foals. However with this one he inadvertently missed out the “s.”

The win was Peter Hunter’s 111th and 24 of those have been with horses with the Raka or Raks prefix. The first was Rakatoy (Holmes Hanover) at Wyndham in November 2017.

Hunter doesn’t drive too much outside the province, and Sunday’s win with Raklou was his first winning drive north of Waikouaiti.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink