Freshen-up was just ideal

Kialla hobby trainer-driver Ben Gledhill and his journeyman pacer Kellys Ideal (Western Ideal) obviously enjoyed a four-month “freshen up” – landing a knock-out blow for harness racing punters with a first-up 25/1 win at Melton earlier this month (Feb 9).

Gledhill is his family’s fourth-generation hobby-trainer, and his wife, Jessica also comes from an enthusiastic extended family of harness racing participants.

“I’ve just been around it forever from a little kid,” Gledhill said.

“As soon as I was old enough to do things on my own I did and I’ve been involved ever since.  I worked for (trainer) Chris Lang for a few years, but beyond that I had to start a career,” he said.

Gledhill executed a perfect drive on Kellys Ideal to grab victory in the shadows of the post in the Allied Express Pace.

“His last run back in October was pretty ordinary and we decided to take a family holiday and he got a break too.  He’d been working okay and trialled alright first up after a decent spell, and I got a pretty lucky trip at Melton,” Gledhill said.

“He’s no star, but his health seems to be back to his best.  We thought we had him pretty right 12 months ago, then he had a fall at Albury and it’s taken until now to get him really right again, I think.”

It was the nine-year old’s ninth victory in a career that has seen him placed in stables in Victoria, NSW, South Australia and Tasmania before finding his way to the Gledhill stable at the Shepparton training centre in 2021.

“We are his 12^th trainer, so he’s been everywhere, but when we got him he had had a good spell and was in very good order.  We won with him second up, but then it was just a few starts later he had the fall,” Gledhill said.

“It’s great to have him back and going.  We only train a couple of horses as a bit of fun, just as a stress relief and something away from work.  Jessica helps me out, and our girls come to the stables most evenings,” he said.

“We all enjoy it and both of our families are involved.  Jessica’s grandfather Kevin Mark used to drive for my great grandfather Charlie Wren so there’s a lot of history there! My dad Jeff is still very involved.

“Work (at a dairy export business) can get pretty stressful at times and the horses are a nice outlet. I follow a lot of others in the game and it’s a common thread through our families – there’s always something to talk about!”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink