Loddon Valley Stud Boort Pacing Cup

Harness racing trainer Owen Martin says seven-year-old Farmersntradies doesn’t owe him anything and whether the gelding ever gets back to his best or not doesn’t really matter.

A previous Vicbred Super Series two-year-old heat winner, Farmersntradies (by Blissfull Hall out of Karamea Vedette) is also a three-time Menangle winner. But niggling health issues have scuppered the pacer time and again in his races, his Concongella (near Stawell in Victoria's west) trainer declaring the chestnut “too smart”. “As soon as he feels something coming on he doesn’t put in at all,” Martin, a former farmer and miner, said. “When you come to the 400 and the acid is right on, he doesn’t let down straightaway. And when he does they’re already long gone.”

Farmersntradies hasn’t registered a race win since July 21, 2012, in Sydney with then trainer/driver Blake Fitzpatrick. Martin had sent his stable star to New South Wales where he hit a purple patch, winning three straight races across a four-week period – including two $22,000 events. “His last two runs with Blake he went shocking so I brought him home and he had some health issues," Martin said. “It’s been a fair job trying to turn it around.”

But despite finishing sixth of 11 at Horsham last time out at odds of $112, Martin was pleased with his charge’s effort to be beaten only 7.7 metres by Hilltop Hustler, who it meets in Sunday’s Loddon Valley Stud Boort Pacing Cup.

Hilltop Hustler will line up behind the 20-metre tape in the 2612-metre, $14,905 race, while Farmersntradies has the ace draw for Martin’s reinsman son-in-law, Michael Sullivan.

Farmersntradies found the line well at Horsham and still seemingly had something under the hood as the field went past the post. “I think he’s sort of working his way back into form,” Martin said.“But I don’t think he’ll ever get back to his best form. I think I can get him back a bit closer to his best but I won’t knock him around; he’s been a fantastic horse to his owners.”

Farmersntradies ran third in last year's Boort Pacing Cup behind winner and eventual Inter Dominion Grand Final placegetter, Flaming Flutter.

Martin, whose daughter Anna is married to Sullivan, said the young reinsman was a great help at the stables and he was the reason the veteran trainer was still in the game. “Without him I probably wouldn’t still be doing it,” he said. “He loves the horses and he gets along good with Farmersntradies.”

Eleven runners are engaged for Sunday’s Boort Pacing Cup, Cam Before The Storm, Turnpike Cruiser, Mista Styx, Smo, Gollahman, Ya Bowen Delight and Seven And A Half all joining Farmersntradies from scratch.

Road To Rock and Hilltop Hustler will both start from 20m, while Narra Operative is the backmarker off 30m.

The Haras Des Trotteurs Boort Trotters Cup sees a nine-horse field race over 2612m from the stand, with Sunset Invasion and Looks A Moral both off 10m, and Waikare Sun, Rumbustious, Wildenstein, Paris Pepperell, Cillas Earl, Theywannacallmesue and Gidah all off the front mark.

The Boort Pacing Cup program kicks off at 1.18pm.

HRV’s successful Trot Selfies competition will be run on the day, patrons invited to post their selfie to facebook.com/trotselfies for a chance to win $1000 thanks to the TAB.

Watch Farmersntradies finish third to Flaming Flutter at Boort last year.

By Cody Winnell