Four wins for House team at Manawatu

It was business pretty much as usual, and expected, for the House harness racingjuggernaut at Manawatu this week.

“I’d anticipated they’d all go good races as most of them had been racing well and we had targeted this meeting for them,” says driver Wilson House, “but it was pretty awesome to get four winners.”

All four were trained by his father Michael and went out as short-priced favourites.

The Canterbury-based House stable has become well adept at travelling their horses to where they will be most competitive, with Monday’s meeting being a prime example. Of the seven runners they started yesterday they came away with four wins and a second placing.

Son Of Patrick (Father Patrick) was House’s first win of the day taking out the Central Energy Trust Handicap Trot and starting from a 40 metre handicap. It was the six-year-old gelding’ss eighth career win and he was foot perfect stepping away from the start with House allowing him to settle into rhythm before moving forward to the parked position where he remained for the majority of the race. In the home straight Son Of Patrick picked up the leader easily to win the race by 0.5 lengths.

“He has raced in some tough fields in Canterbury lately, so I knew if he got away ok he’d be competitive and he won nicely,” said House.

House would then drive The Next Best Thing (Highview Tommy) to post the gelding’s maiden victory in race two by a narrow margin over second placed Million Dollar Chic. The Highview Tommy gelding didn’t make the win easy for House with a mid race gallop at around the 1000 metre mark causing him to lose ground, and then hitting the front in the home straight and only just holding off the challenge from Million Dollar Chic who was closing in.

“He’s been getting close to a win, so it was good to get it,” said House.

In race 4, the Racing Again 19th and 21st November Mobile Pace, the House runners took the quinella with Jazzy Styx (Vincent) winning and Santanna Mach, driven by Crystal Hackett second.

From the ace starting draw, Jazzy Styx showed good gate speed when sent forward early by House before handing up the lead to stable mate Santanna Mach. The Vincent mare then enjoyed a cosy trip behind the leader before taking the passing lane and getting up to win by over a length.

“Both of these horses have had very consistent form and have raced well on this track in the past so I expected both to be amongst the first couple home,” said House.

In the final race of the day, House saluted the judge with stable veteran Warloch (Well Said) who brought up his 17th lifetime win.

From a wide draw (7) House was content to settle the gelding at the tail of the field, meanwhile a three way battle for the lead ensued between Baileys Pitch, Eddie Osei, and Christiano Buccini who would eventually obtain the lead. The result was a swift lead time with House sitting back until the final lap when he set off three wide and made short work of rounding the field to sit outside the leader. With 400 metres to run Warloch headed the leader and would continue to improve and run away from the field to win by two lengths.

“It was probably my favourite win of the day because he is just such an honest horse, he’s tough and he always tries so hard,” said Wilson, “he just always does his best.”

The 10-year-old gelding by Well Said has now won just over $280,000 in stakes from 17 wins and 34 placings.

For complete race results, click here.

by Brigette Solomon, for Harness Racing New Zealand