Bandito raids Addington

Southland harness racing trainer Kirstin Green was wanting to make a statement at Addington last night and she certainly did that with classy trotter Fiery Bandito (Majestic Son).

She’s long said the five year old is the best horse in her Tisbury barn and last night she was dead right.

The performance was a stark contrast to the last time Fiery Bandito was at Addington in Cup Week when he finished down the track in both his starts. That trip away was obviously the making of him though because since returning to Southland he’s strung together some solid form and he went to Addington with three wins from his last three starts.

In last night’s Garrards Racing Rewards Handicap Trot, his first race under lights, Green got the five year old safely away and settled third last in the capacity field. With 1800 metres to run she started to progress him forward and when Sam Ottley popped out with Helloveamoment, Fiery Bandito got a nice drag into the race.

“He trots better at speed and I wanted to get round before that bend because he just doesn’t get the bends that well at the moment,” Green told Nigel Armstrong of Harness Racing Unhinged.

FIERY BANDITO REPLAY

Out three wide Green nursed Fiery Bandito round the bend before rolling to the top. Turning in she sat quietly on the favourite while the rest of the field were getting reined up. Fiery Bandito went down to the line untouched, to beat Sunny Louis by a length and a half.

“I was confident in his ability but I know he’s just not 100% in his gait yet so I was just hopeful  we could get round safely because I know he’s got a big motor.”

Fiery Bandito will head out for a spell now.

“Hopefully we can come back and win some of the nicer races later in the year.”

Fiery Bandito who’s a half brother to Smokin Bandar was bred by Tom Kilkelly and is raced by Tom, his wife Julie, Shea and Holly McKenzie and Ricky Collis.

Addington is home to some of Green’s biggest wins. U May Cullect won the Listed 2019 Uncut Gems, Tommy Waterhouse and Watch Me Now won the Macca Lodge South of the Waitaki while the jewel in the Addington Crown for the stable was Watch Me Now, winning the Group One $102,000 New Zealand Breeders Stakes beating Amazing Dream.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink