Manning family dream of elusive Redwood win

For all the trophies in the Peter and Kerryn Manning households, the one showing success in Maryborough’s famed feature for the two-year-old squaregaiters is nowhere to be seen.

But the Aldebaran Park Redwood Classic, possibly one of the hardest events to win on the Victorian harness racing calendar, suddenly looks within reach for the Great Western father and daughter, who will team up with the ultra-impressive Plymouth Chubb in Sunday’s edition of the race. Click here to view fields here.

Trained by 76-year-old Peter, the Majestic Son gelding boasts a big frame with loads of ability that has allowed him to win eight of nine starts so far. Those have included the Group 1 Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic 2YO Colts and Geldings Final in May and the Group 2 IRT Tatlow Stakes at his most recent start.

It’s form which will likely see him start favourite in the $50,000 clash between the juveniles at the weekend.

“He’s certainly got all the right credentials to be able to win a Redwood, but as you know they’re very elusive and hard to win,” Kerryn Manning told Trots Talk.

“I think I’ve run a close second one year, which was great but no cigar. Hopefully we can get one on the board on Sunday or in the near future.”

Kerryn, who has driven the horse to his last six triumphs, will be back in the sulky on Sunday. And possibly her most important task will be to get her charge away from the standing start.

But it doesn’t appear the tapes will be a problem for the youngster, who won a race from them in March and stepped away well on debut before galloping shortly after in what was the only defeat of his career so far.

“You look at him and you think he doesn’t look very fast, but when you drive him, you change your mind quickly. He’s certainly got speed and stamina, and most of the time his manners are really good. It’s only been on the odd occasion where he’s mucked up,” Manning said.

“He just seems to have everything there.”

Peter Manning, a genuine icon of the sport who was awarded the Gordon Rothacker Medal in 2007, won his 13^th Group 1 as a trainer when Ananz scored victory in the 2010 Queen of the Pacific. But he had to wait until Plymouth Chubb came along to get his next, with the success in May’s elite level race at Melton finally lifting that tally to 14.

“Dad never stops. He’s down there, he’s got more in work than me, shoes them all, cuts his own chaff. That’s just what he does, it’s what he loves to do. While he’s doing that, he’s happy and healthy,” Kerryn says.

“It’s nice to see him have such a nice horse come into the stable and (do) so well. To get a Redwood on the board would be a great achievement, but Redwoods are hard to win so we’ve just got to hope everything goes right, no bad luck and the horse is good enough on the day…”

While he continues to beat the challengers that come at him, Plymouth Chubb’s battle on Sunday has some new players. They include a pair of Rickie Alchin-trained stablemates from New South Wales named Tough Love and King City, while there’s good reports on New Zealand raider High On Love, who is trained by Josh Dickie but is currently staying with Avalon trainer Nathan Purdon.

The Classic Connection @ Haras Des Trotteurs Victoria Trotters Derby Final is the other Group 1 on Sunday’s card, with qualifiers from last weekend’s heats to do battle in the $75,000 clash for the three-year-olds.

LISTEN TO KERRYN MANNING ON TROTS TALK BELOW:

By Tim O’Connor for HRV