Twelve-year-old is flying with two in a row!

Dedicated Melbourne suburbs harness racing trainer Graeme McIntosh is always going to remember his first-ever Melton win – and it would be fair to say, the celebrations that followed later!

McIntosh, who is stabled at the Croydon Light Harness Club training facilities, took out the Hyland Racing Colours Pace with 12-year-old gelding Wattlebank Flyer NZ (Panspacificflight) recently (Feb 16).

“It was Graeme’s first win at the track, and we were hoping he’d go okay because he had felt amazing leading up to it,” McIntosh’s stepdaughter and stablehand Emma Moore said.

“I’ve been helping out for quite a few years, probably since I was about 13 years old. I just love it; we’re great mates and we work well together.

“I had planned on going to Melton, but I got a call on the way that our old dog Indie was very sick with a burst tumor, so I had to jump out on the way and go home.

“So, it was a bitter-sweet sort of day – poor old Indie had to be put down, but thankfully Wally (Wattlebank Flyer’s stable name) landed the win.”

Moore, her partner Brett and their two children met up later with Graeme to celebrate.

“It was some Hungry Jacks Whoppers and I think Graeme may have also enjoyed a celebratory beer.”

And Wattlebank Flyer continued the winning roll, with a follow up victory at his next start at Cranbourne yesterday (Feb 25), both victories in the hands of Wattlebank Flyer’s regular driver, young Heathcote reinsman Sean O’Sullivan.

In both instances, O’Sullivan timed his run to perfection on the horse.

“Sean does an amazing job with him and he’s prepared to travel anywhere to take the drive,” Emma said.

Wattlebank Flyer has now won 26 races with 51 placings for stake money of more than $168,000. The pacer, who has had over 250 starts, did most of his racing in Queensland before finding his way to the McIntosh stables in late 2021.

“Graeme just loves horses and the industry. We’re training two at the moment (the other being Standandeliver) and he does the feeds before he heads off to work. Most weekends he’s at the stables pottering around and he knows Wally like the back of his hand.”

Emma said the veteran pacer had taken some time to sort out, but had raced consistently this season, with two thirds, then two wins from his past four starts.

“When the horse first arrived he used to pull very hard and run his race before it had started. Graeme sorted that out after he found a more suitable bit.

“We worked out he also had some other issues, so we got Christine Gee, a vet who specializes in spinal and neck problems, to go over him. She has helped him immensely, along with Jackie who does pulse therapy.

” We did work out that he’s happy doing galloping for fastwork and going the reverse way. But Graeme is under strict instructions not to whistle because that just fires up the other one that I drive!

“Wally’s got a few little quirks and he’s 12 years old, but he still wants to do it. He’s got his routine, and he loves carrots and gets pretty spoilt.

“We’ll just keep chipping away, but Wattlebank Flyer will always be my golden boy.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink