Padditude breaks through

The aptly named Padditude broke through for his maiden harness racing win at Pinjarra on Monday for Mark and Kerry Lee, after the front runner led all the way from barrier four for Kyle Harper in a slick 1:56:5 over the 2185m journey.

After some questionable manners throughout his career, the three-year-old managed to settle in front in the 3YO Maiden Pace in yesterday’s race, to space the field by 21m in the concluding stages.

“I did expect him to keep running, he’s better if you just let him run like that. If you try and run a 33-quarter coming into the bell, it just gives everyone else a breather.

“His last two starts have been good. He’s been sat up his last couple of starts and Kyle managed to hold on to him and not pop too many tyres,” Lee joked.

The double westbred gelding is by WA Stallion Rich And Spoilt and was purchased by Mark and Kerry at the yearling sales in 2019 for a modest $6000. He has had nine starts for one win and three placings with total stakes of $8129, not including the westbred bonuses on offer.

“Because he’s half nuts, he’s a really good miler. He can run a 1:54 mile no worries. He had his first up mile, and they ran 1:55 and he ran second. Since then, he has been in another sprint and Kyle and I were convinced he would just win, but he pulled that hard in the warmup lap that they scratched him, the clerk of the course had to pull him up and that’s the race we thought he would win,” Lee said.

The step up in distance didn’t seem to worry Padditude and based on his performance yesterday, it appears the youngster has a bright future.

The trotters kicked off racing action at Pinjarra today, with the Barry Howlett-trained Son Of A Whiz NZ rewarding favourite punters with his win in the first. After leading all the way, Chris Voak saluted the judge with a seven metre victory in a 2:00:7 mile rate.

Kevin Keys and Mark Reed teamed up in the second with All About Riley who won narrowly at $9.50 odds. The two-year-old filly who was having her second start in a race settled behind the leader throughout and after the favourite broke on the bend, popped off to make her run with 200m to go.

Dontwaitforme made it one from one with the short-priced favourite winning race three for Kim Prentice and stable foreman, Mitchell Miller. After settling one out and two back, the four-year-old mare let down brilliantly with 600m to go to run down the leader to win by 1.7m.

Local trainer Vic Bryers prepared the $1.75 favourite Sunshine Swift who took out the fifth with Chris Lewis on board. In a mile rate of 1:58:9, the four-year-old mare settled well back throughout, taking off with 1000m to go to lead the three-wide line and won comfortably by 5.8m.

As the day unfolded, it really was a day for favourites with Rascal winning race six for Kat Warwick and Gary Hall Jnr. Recording his third win from just four starts, the juvenile won narrowly after sitting in most of the way.

Don’t Bother Me None NZ led all the way in race seven, winning by 7.9m for Team Bond and Ryan Warwick. The NZ import brought up his fifth win in just nine starts, with the three-year-old yet to be out of the money this season.

Michael Brennan walked away with a training double when his runners Valentines Brook and The Code Breaker took out the last two races on the card. Piloted by Michael Grantham both times, Valentines Brook managed to work his way to the lead after 800m, the four-year-old won by 7.5m in 1:56:1.  The thrills continued in to the last when The Code Breaker took out the standing start, giving Walmsley Developments Pty Ltd an owning double at Pinjarra.

Michael Grantham cracked 500 winning drives yesterday at Pinjarra, with the 26-year-old now driving 501 winners from 3949 drives. Beginning his driving career in the 11/12 season, the ex-jockey has firmly made his mark in the harness racing industry.

“I never really thought harness was ever going to be my sport, growing up as a kid I always thought I was going to be a jockey and I still wish I was, but I’ve had a lot of support to get me to 500 winners, so it’s been great.

“I still endeavour to win a group one, I’ve had a lot of placings so hopefully if I do keep driving, that in the next 500 wins, there will be a group one.” Grantham said.

By Ashleigh Paikos for RWWA