999 wins and counting

Harness racing’s Clayton Harmey has had to wait patiently during the past two weeks while poised on 999 winners as a trainer.

The 43-year-old has been sitting nervously on that number, but at Newcastle on Friday (Nov. 4) Harmey surely gets the chance to rack up his 1000th winner, an important milestone in any training career.

Harmey is a regular in the winners’ circle week-in and week-out, but like Bathurst’s Steve Turnbull, who had to wait what seemed like an eternity to bring up his 4,000^th winner earlier in the year, Harmey puts his unusual run of outs down to the spate of recent wet weather and some hard-luck tales on the track.

“We have not had the best of runs lately,” said Harmey.

“There have been a few differing factors, but I feel confident that we can put that behind us with some realistic winning chances.

“I have not really focused on the milestone, but it will be a relief when I get there and it will be something I will savor.

“My team has come along in leaps and bounds over the past few years, mainly due to the fact that I have good staff and owners behind me.

“We all work hard and well together, which is shown by our results on the track.”

Newcastle will host a solid program with nine races contested at the International Paceway, again proving the strength in numbers throughout the Hunter Valley.

Harmey has eight runners, the biggest number he has produced at the races in several weeks.

Talented three-year-old Saint Crusader (Race 3) is his headline performer, despite having to start from the second row in barrier 10.

The colt looks to have class on his rivals and Harmey believes that with the right run, he will be hard to hold out.

“It is a fact that he is one of the best horses in my stable,” he said.

“We have had a great run with him, and he should be hard to beat.

“I am a little uncertain what we will do with him after the Regional Breeders Challenge later this month, but we will weigh up our options after we get through.”

Consistent gelding Abdicate (Race two) is another leading chance for Harmey after drawing ideally in gate two.

For complete race fields, click here.

by Michael Dumesny, for HRNSW