Jack stepping in for Jack

There’s one harness racing horseman who won’t be complaining when leading Menangle Park reinsman Jack Trainor heads off to the US this week for a short holiday.

Trainor’s stable foreman Jack Brown has been off for three weeks himself, with his holiday courtesy of the stewards.

Brown is keyed up to return to race driving at Club Menangle today (Mar. 27) and cannot wait to hop back into the sulky, with four good drives on the eight-race program.

And all four are for different trainers.

“It was only three weeks but it felt more like six months – so it’s good to be back,” Brown told National Trotguide’s Mike Ko’cass.

This afternoon Brown’s first task will be to do the right thing by his father, trainer David Brown by getting into the money with former Kiwi gelding Rio De Janeiro Blue who has come up with the perfect draw in gate one for his Menangle debut after two impressive Penrith efforts.

“He had no luck last week, got out wide and flashed home,” said Brown.

“We have the ace draw and he’s a nice horse. He’s no world beater but should run through his grades OK.

“Hopefully he can hold up today and give them something to catch.”

Brown also has his first drive on handy mare Kowhai Blaze for Blake Fitzpatrick and fancies his chances of a cheque there too.

“I’ve had little bit to do with his horse; she came to our stable from New Zealand early on in her prep and she had a few party tricks when she first got here,” he said.

“She has quietened down a bit since then but probably needed a spell and I think she’ll come back a bit better from that.”

Even leading trainer Belinda McCarthy has hopped on the Brown bandwagon in Race 7 and booked him to handle former Victorian mare Just As Well, having just her third run for the stable after scoring at Menangle two weeks ago.

“Her win last start was enormous and here’s hoping she can go as well again and give them something to catch.”

Brown’s final drive will be for ‘the boss’ Jack Trainor in Race 8, where he takes the steer on Bridwood Bella, who’s shown good gate speed in previous runs and will make her presence felt from the pole.

“It’s good to get back on these horses and you always hope people haven’t forgotten about you when you’re off the scene,” he said.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Court, for Harness Racing New South Wales