Maverick finding his mojo at last for McGrath’s

There’s no hiding the excitement of veteran Victorian hobby trainer Michael McGrath and his wife Kath, who are celebrating their first harness racing win in nearly a decade, with trotter Wills Maverick (Louey Louey Louey).

The square gaiter saluted at big odds in the Springfest 4yo and older maiden trot at Ballarat last week (Oct 3), rewarding the patience of his connections.

Wills Maverick was unplaced as a three- and four-year-old but has had only two starts this season for a third and a win, and McGrath is hoping the trotter might just be reflecting his breeding.

“When my father had all his horses, he never raced any until they were five– that’s the way they were with the Colonial breds and hopefully Maverick is the same!” McGrath said.

“We bred him, and I broke him in. He’s had a few issues with injuries and illness and he’d had seven months off this time before we brought him back. But he was a different horse in his work this time,” he said.

“He was keener, and he seemed to have got the idea of what it’s all about.  I think he’s starting to show what he’s capable of doing and Mick (driver Mick Bellman) seems to have a great affinity with him.”

Wills Maverick is out of the McGraths’ mare Rani Rose (Maoris Idol), who won nine races including a metropolitan victory at Moonee Valley. Rani Rose was out of the first trotter Michael and Kath ever had, Cant Find It (Dusty Miller) who won one race.

“She was well named.  She couldn’t find the winning post!” he laughed.

“She was our first trotter – we started off with all pacers, but now we only have trotters!”

McGrath has been involved in harness racing since he was 15 through his dad, Tom, a farmer at Ararat who had horses including Showgrounds winners Banooka Bill and Queen Ling (the grand dam of Cant Find It).

“Dad had 2000 acres with sheep and one horse! He bought Queen Ling for 150 pounds from Ern Henke and that’s how it started for us.”

Michael worked as a train driver and in disability services and always had a horse or two in work.  Their last winner was Our Rosebud, in a heat of the Tontine Series in 2015.  The filly was named after their daughter, Rachael who lost her battle with cancer in 2010. Rachael, a popular strapper who worked for Great Western trainer Peter Manning, is remembered in the Rachael McGrath (Gration) Memorial each year at Stawell.

Michael and Kath have had some downtime from the sport over the years, but now retired they keep busy with family and their harness racing team.

“We usually work just one or two, and at the moment we have Wills Maverick and another one in work, Lord Louey (Louey Louey Louey), a big fella who looks like he will be a nice horse for us,” he said.

“We enjoy the sport and our horses a lot – but we are hoping the next win won’t take as long as this one!”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink