Svanosio enjoying a real good trot

Imposing square gaiter Aroha Koe (Love You) is emerging as one of the stable stars for Victorian harness racing trainer-driver Chris Svanosio, but he’s in good company as part of a team that’s becoming one of the State’s most consistent medium-sized barns.

Aroha Koe, which translates from Maori to mean “love you”, joined Svanosio as a four-year-old in March and has won seven races since, including two Metropolitan class and two $30,000 feature finals, the latest the Vicbred Platinum Metropolitan Trot Final at Melton on Saturday night (August 12).

“I really can’t believe how far he has come – he’s been fantastic for us. Pat Driscoll from Yabby Dam Farms bred him, and he’s magnificently bred (out of 2009 Inter Dominion champion mare Sumthingaboutmaori),” Svanosio said.

“I remember watching him when he started racing and you could see he was going to take a bit of time. They obviously looked after him really well and didn’t rush him, so he didn’t have a lot of starts before we got him, and he was improving all the time,” he said.

“Anton and Pat have leased some out to my dad and some of his friends in the past, and dad was pretty excited when they offered Aroha Koe to him.  I thought the horse might win a few this season, but he seems to be a Love You who has really started to grow into himself.”

Aroha Koe started at the generous odds of $23 courtesy of his extreme back row draw in Saturday night’s final.

“I thought he was the best horse in the race if I could give him some sort of decent trip and once they ran along early that worked in our favor.  But they never really backed off and he did have to do a bit of work for me to get around outside the leader.  The way he kept finding at the end after doing that work, I was just rapt,” Svanosio said.

Aroha Koe scored by 1.9 metres over Aldebaran Keepa (Ben Hope) and Egret (Nathan Jack) in a slick time of 1:58.0 over the 2540 metre trip.

“I think he should definitely be a better horse again once he has a break.  His next job will be the VicBred series heats next month, so for now we will just keep giving him a few days off when we can and set him for that,” Svanosio said.

Svanosio rates his current team as the best of his career, and is thrilled to be heading into the end-of season features with plenty of depth.

“I was so pleased with the job Arcee Phoenix (Trixton) did when we took him to Queensland for The Great Square.  He had to do plenty of work and finished second to what I think might turn out to be a champion trotter (London To A Brick),” Svanosio said.

“All going well, Arcee Phoenix will go around in the 4yo boys’ division of the Vicbred in a few weeks,” he said.

“Louis Lou I keeps drawing terrible and racing well against the better three-year-old pacers going around and there are some good 3yo races coming up in the next couple of months.  I know he will need luck against the very best, but we will still aim him for the derby and Breeders Crown.”

In addition, Kyvalley Maven (winner of the Vicbred Platinum final in May) will be set for the VicBred 2yo Colts and Geldings; Aldebaran Miley (winner of the Aldebaran Premier Trotting 3yo fillies final last month) will also head to the VicBreds and the Oaks; and Lady Adelia (4yo mare) and Queen of Quebec (3yo filly) will also be VicBred bound.ZA

Svanosio and his wife Elizabeth currently have 26 horses on the stable list, two thirds of which are trotters.

“That’s about the right number for us,” Svanosio said.

“We are lucky to have Ross Payne on the team and he is fantastic, and Claire Payne is amazing.  She owns shares in a lot of our horses, but she lives at Terang and works full time but somehow manages to be up here and help us out a few days a week,” he said.

“The stable is a real family effort.  Elizabeth and our new daughter Estella are down at the stables each morning.  My dad is here six days a week and mum is also here helping out.

“Elizabeth’s parents help too and having her dad Alistair (Maclean) on hand is a massive help.

“He is retired now, but in his veterinarian career, he worked with some of the greatest horses we’ve seen in Australia – standardbred and thoroughbred – with people like Colin Hayes and Bart Cummings, so to have his advice and help is invaluable.

“We’re on a fantastic property and we’ve got a great team – and we’re lucky to have a group of pretty loyal owners who support our stable, so we’re just trying to get as many wins as we can for them.”

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by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink