Antti’s unconventional secrets to Group One triumph

It’s said all of life is an experiment – and for southwest Victorian harness racing trainer Antti Ruokonen that even extends to “changing everything” the day before a Group 1 assignment!

Ruokonen, who first arrived in Australia from Finland in 2017, works at Terang for the supremely successful Lee and Craven training dynasties, who between them account for around 30 Gr 1 victories.

But after Ruokonen’s pint-sized trotter Keayang Kurki (Royalty For Life) stormed to victory in the $100,000 Gr 1 2yo fillies VicBred final at Melton on Saturday night (Sept 14), reinsman Jason Lee admitted he had been lost for words on the filly’s pre-race prep.

“Antti was out there on the training track for ages for the last two days, making changes. Well, we didn’t really know what he was doing!” Lee said in a post-race interview.

“He was doing things that an Australian trainer wouldn’t try anyway. We couldn’t believe it – but full credit to him, it worked!” he said.

So, what was the genius of Ruokonen, whose win in the VicBred final was incidentally just win number seven as a trainer?

“Well, I worked her two days in a row, because after her heat run (fifth), I knew she needed the run. And I changed her shoeing. And her gear.  I really changed everything. I just wasn’t happy,” Ruokonen said.

“I thought her shoes were still too heavy, so I put lighter shoes all round.  I made some changes to her steering, and in the VicBred final she raced without plugs for the first time. I tried her once at home without the plugs and I knew she would be fine.

“I just thought with a horse like her, you have nothing to lose.  Everything has to be right to beat the best ones, and you have to take a risk.”

No risk, no reward, it seems.

After two false starts were declared and the race got underway on the third attempt, Jason Lee pinged Keayang Kurki out of the gate and crossed effortlessly, handing up to the race favorite Gatesys Gem after the early burn. Keayang Kurki was the thorough professional to take the sprint lane run and score by seven metres in 1:59.7 (30.8, 30.5, 29.4, 29.9).

“We were hoping to get out of the gate as quick as we could, and the false start actually worked in our favor,” Ruokonen said.

“At the first score up, she was too fired up and she was going to gallop I think, she was jumping around.  Sometimes horses get fired up for the second try, but with her it was the other way, and I knew she’d be okay,” he said.

For complete race results, click here.

Keayang Kurki, bred by Staffordshire Park, was purchased after the 2022 yearling sales.

“A good friend of mine who worked with me at Yabby Dam Farms spotted her.  We went to the sales, and there was not one bid on her.  He said: ‘She’s tiny, but she looks alright, and she’s well bred.  Her breeding has a very good cross that’s got results in Sweden and the United States,” Ruokonen said.

Saturday night’s victory made good on a promise Ruokonen made to himself for season 2024. He said he’d written the goal of a Group One victory in his training notebook and told the Craven and Lee camps that was his aim.

“Everyone knows it’s never easy to get group wins and especially when you have young trotters. They all probably thought I was crazy!” he said.

“And six months ago, I didn’t think that I would be doing it with Keayang Kurki! I broke her in, and I liked her – she felt like she might be fast, but she is so small.  And back then you definitely wouldn’t be thinking you would be in a Group One with her.  That’s how massively she has improved in the last six or 10 months.

“I have been just calling my family, my friends and everyone.  I am so grateful to the Lee and Craven families and everyone there about the opportunities and support they have given me. The celebrations were pretty huge but on it was back to work on Monday.

“We will keep racing her.  I might give her some easy days and let her recover, and then I might trial her from the stand and hopefully we can have a go at the Redwood Classic at Maryborough (Oct 27).”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink