Aveross Majesty crowned at Wingatui

The Denis O’Connell trained Aveross Majesty’s (Majestic Son) joins Hano Direct, Sir Castleton, Game Pointer, Basil Dean and Game Command on the Forbury Park Dunedin Trotting Cup harness racing trophy after impressively winning the main trot at Wingatui yesterday.

“Some massive horses have won this race. I’m very proud of him. He’s a lovely horse to do anything with,” O’Connell said.

The trophy was discovered recently by Forbury Park officials and was resurrected after last being featured on a racecard in 1984.

The talented seven year old squaregaiter was given the perfect trip by Brent Barclay and he ran home nicely down the centre of the track to beat One Two Menny who stormed home late.

Initially trained by Andrew Faulks, Aveross Majesty qualified as a three year old at Ashburton and had seven starts for him over two seasons without a win.

“The owner Ross Pettitt passed away and his wife Averal didn’t really want to carry on with the horses. I was lucky enough to get him. It was great having her there to watch the race yesterday. She got a real thrill. It brought tears to my eye as Ross would have been looking down on us,” O’Connell said.

It was the horse’s seventh win on the grass and backs up his fine second to Oscar Bonavena in the trotters Green Mile at Methven just under a week ago.

Normally O’Connell would drive the horse but in his last two starts he’s handed the reins to Barclay.

“I can’t drive in a race that’s over $25,000 (as a graduation driver). Brent drove him beautifully at Methven and again today.”

O’Connell trains Aveross Majesty on the beach at Waikouaiti.

“When you’re racing him you’ve got to have his head fairly high because when you’re training him he likes to gallop. As soon as you get his head up he trots.”

O’Connell says Aveross Majesty is the best trotter he’s trained.

“I had Francis Dalrae, and he was a very good trotter. He was speedy but didn’t have a nice way of going.”

Francis Dalrae won nine races.

Denis says he loves training squaregaiters as they provide a challenge. He appreciates the skills of his farrier Murray Jones in helping obtain balance for his trotters.

Aveross Majesty is likely to start next at the Oamaru meeting on Wednesday which will be run on the grass.

Meanwhile O’Connell has retired his wonderful pacer Four Starzzz Shiraz. The veteran of 283 starts won twenty races and was placed a further 52 times, winning $192,444.

“He’s gone to a wonderful home at Melanie and Brad Mowbray’s. Mel is doing dressage and show jumping with him and he’s having a great life in retirement.”

Branxholme driver Nathan Williamson drove four winners at the Wingatui meeting.

Heavenly Strings for Jamie Gameson, Smart I Am for Brent Shirley, Hacksaw Ridge Ricky Gutsell and Jaccka Baylis for Brett Gray all won in the hands of Nathan Williamson.

With the four wins he’s widened the gap between himself and Craig Ferguson to six in the Southland Drivers Premiership. Williamson has won the premiership for the last fourteen years.

Nathan heads to Canterbury this weekend for some key drives at the Grand Prix Day meeting at Addington tomorrow.

All eyes will be on Dreams Are Free which fronts up in the $110,000 Group One Betavet Ace of Spades. The two year old has been in scintillating form in the south and faces his own age group for the first time.

He also drives Advance Party in the G1 Tennant Engineering New Zealand Pacing Oaks, Empire City in the G1 KB Electrics Ace of Hearts, Pembrook Playboy in the G3 East West Fencing Summer Cup and Flying Without Wings in the G3 King Of The North New Zealand Trotting Derby.

Canterbury junior driver Gemma Thornley also had a successful day scoring a double, reining Fernleigh Blackbird and Insarchatwist to win. The double takes her career tally to sixty.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink