From pedalling to the Showgrounds – to winning at Melton!

As a kid, Sam Karamalikis’s fascination with horses caused him to pedal his pushbike from Essendon to the Melbourne Showgrounds to soak up the excitement of harness racing.

And while the hobby trainer usually prepares just a few dozen starters a year, he’s barely been truly away from the sport since.

“Once it’s in there, you can’t get it out of your blood.  I usually only train one, perhaps two, but I’m always on trading ring or the other sites, just looking for that good one,” Karamalikis said.

Currently occupying his stable at the privately-owned public facility “Taylor Downs” at Bulla, is last-start winner Popcornfriday (Camlach).

“He’s won two for me now.  He is usually best as a sit and sprinter, but he’s been drawing bad his last couple,” Karamalikis said.

“We’d drawn four at Melton on Friday night (July 14) and Greg (driver Greg Sugars) thought there was a bit of speed inside. But I just said if you can get to the front, do it – and Greg and the horse did the rest.  It was great,” he said.

“Greg is so patient and a gentleman of a bloke – he’s just a great driver.”

The win was Karamalikis’s first for the season, from just seven starts, all by Popcornfriday, who has failed to weigh in just once for the season.  The four-year-old was bred by Wedderburn vet Greg Hargreaves, and Karamalikis was offered the horse by owner Kevin Sandiford, who helps out at the Bulla stables.

“I do the markets, selling scarves, beanies and hats and things at weekends.  Kevin has a stablehand licence and works Popcorn on Saturdays. I give the horse Sundays off, and do him during the week.  It works for us, and it’s an enjoyable hobby,” he said.

Karamalikis said his parents were sellers at the Queen Victoria markets and at markets around Victoria and weren’t involved in horses at all.

“I was mates with George Batsakis, he always had horses from when we were very young and I started helping him out, and going to see Les Turner at the Showgrounds,” he said.

“I’ve learnt from some good people.  I started off helping Joe Borg when he had a big team back in the day, then John Scott when he was based in Melbourne, before he moved to Albury.  Then I worked for Brendan Purcell and Lynn Dove when they were based at Toolern Vale.

“I started off with getting a few claimers, and I’ve had some nice horses: The Weekend Warrior won for me at Moonee Valley, Grand Rapids won a few and Montana Thunder, lately Prince Bronski, but it feels like the good ones are the ones you always have trouble with, because they try so hard.

“I’ve worked with good trainers along the way, and that’s the way to learn, but at the end of the day you need a horse with a bit of ability and that’s what we’re always looking for, isn’t it?”

For the first time last year, Karamalikis’s search for “the good one” took him to the Melbourne yearling sales.

“I bought one at APG, the first time I’ve bought from the sales.  I paid $18,000 for a Betting Line colt (from My Sophisticated Lady (Mach Three). He was prepared by Monique Burnett and looked terrific. I’ve left him with Rita (Burnett) to break in and at the moment she’s very happy with him, so we will see how we go.”

Karamalikis will be hoping to make it two wins in a row when he competes at Geelong tomorrow night (July 21) in Race 8.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink