Royal Diedre wins for journeyman

Alan Beecroft has been the real journeyman and on Sunday at Kaikoura, Royal Diedre (Royal Aspirations) provided the Weedon based trainer with his second winner.

Alan was introduced to harness racing through his grandfather who’s brother was successful West Melton trainer Peter Yeatman.

“I used to go out to the stables with Grandad when I was at school. That’s how I got into it,” he said.

Over the twenty plus years Alan’s been involved in the sport he’s worked for the likes of Dean Taylor, Alex Milne, Murray Edmonds, Barry Purdon, Ross Paynter, Nigel McGrath, Ross Houghton and Fred Morris.

He now works for Fred Fletcher where he’s been for eighteen months and that’s how he came to train Royal Diedre.

“Fred was finished with her. He got her served but she didn’t take and he offered her to me to lease.”

The seven year old is owned by Beecroft along with his sister Jolene Beecroft, as well as Kirstin Lawrence, David Diedrichs, Mike Cations, Jesse Wederall and Keiran Skurr.

“They’re all friends of mine or people who’ve helped me on my way. I said to all the owners two months ago that as long as she can find a bit of form we’re off to Kaikoura. I’ve been targeting that race for at least eight weeks.”

Driver Olivia Thornley got the perfect sit behind pacemaker Prince Teka, who got her to the passing lane. Royal Diedre rallied strongly up the home straight to beat Prince Teka by a head.

ROYAL DIEDRE REPLAY

The win was the mare’s seventh and second for Beecroft. She won her first five races for Fletcher.

She currently sits in twelfth place in the Five Year Old and Older Mares category for the Harness 5000 at Ashburton on 21^st December.

“Once she gets under that rating 40 she’s quite competitive. We’ve nominated her for Cup Day and I’ll just keep her going until Christmas and see if we can get into the Harness 5000 race. She’s not a Friday night horse. Those Wednesday meetings they had at Addington were right up her alley. We need a few more of them.”

Beecroft drove as a junior, winning three races, all for Fred Morris. The first was with Debbie Morris at the Kurow meeting in 2004.

His last winner as a driver was at Ashburton November 2006 when Jillsander won. The Soky’s Atom mare was the rank outsider in a field of fourteen and paid $133.80 and $24.10.

“I asked Fred what the driving instructions were and he said ‘we’re just making up the numbers.”

Jillsander won by a nose with a nose back to the third horse.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink