Patrick has plenty on his plate to smile about

Victorian hobby trainer Patrick Tomkinson is pretty excited about the emphatic second win of his short harness racing training career with pacer Hey Goyougoodthing (A Rocknroll Dance) earlier this month (Feb 2) at Bendigo.

But he makes no secret that getting his only other horse, square-gaiter Hes Themighty Spin, back to the races at Ararat tonight will be even more emotional.

Tomkinson is in only his second season as a trainer, coming to the sport as a raw recruit after meeting his now wife Kathleen Mullan around six years ago.

But, honoring the tutelage of his father-in-law Danny Mullan, Tomkinson has enjoyed some credible results, with two wins and 9 placings from just 26 starts with Hey Goyougoodthing.

“We’ve had him for almost a year – and he has been character building for sure,” Tomkinson laughed.

“He is really quick, but he does have a few little eccentricities and quirks that have taken a bit of time to work out.”

Hey Goyougoodthing’s Bendigo win, with Greg Sugars in the sulky, came after Tomkinson had the first drive of his career on the horse, in a 1200 metre sprint race at Melton in January.

“That didn’t go well – he ended up being stood down.  But since then, we’ve got some bodywork and vet work done and made a few changes with gear and management,” he said.

“That win was such a relief after the last start.  I wasn’t sure what to expect turning for home because he’d had been in the death the whole way, but Greg didn’t even need to turn the whip around and they ran 1:56.9.”

Tomkinson, a train driver, said apart from going to the races with his dad, he had no experience with horses whatsoever when he met Kathleen, who is the Equine Welfare Manager at Harness Racing Australia.

“The very first time I tried to lead a horse to its yard, I went to the offside and it wouldn’t move.  Kat told me I was on the wrong side…and I just said, ‘what do you mean?’” Tomkinson laughed.

“Kat got me a harness experience at TABCorp Park Melton one night in the dual-seated sulky with Lance Justice.  I think she thought that would be enough for me, but it just got me more hooked!

“I told Kat I wanted to be supportive of her passion for equestrian and dressage – but that I just wanted to drive! I started jogging horses with Robbie O’Connell to learn, and every day I just got more and more into it.”

Tomkinson started helping Danny with his team until eventually getting his trainer’s licence in 2023. Then, Hes Themightyspin had just two starts in Tomkinson’s name before serious injury.

“He had a 14 percent tear, about 10-12 centimetres long on a deep digital tendon flexor. We were devastated,” he said.

“It’s been a long road and he’s such a special horse. He had five and a half months off, then we started him in the water walker at HSP Equine at Gordon.  He was there for about month, and then has been working ever since, including a lot of trials, about eight since just before Christmas, just to be sure that he is right to go.

“He was the first horse I was ever part of and the main one I have learnt on all the way through.  He’s only a little fellow but he’s 90 percent heart.”

Tomkinson said he and Kath had leased Hey Goyougoodthing, after Hes Themightyspin’s injury so he could keep learning and progressing his training.

“He’s given us some fantastic thrills and after his first win I had that many messages from drivers, other trainers, even track staff to congratulate us.

“That’s one of the best things about the sport, that there are so many great people who make you feel included – everyone wants to win but they’re happy for you when you do.”

Tomkinson said Sugars would continue to drive Hey Goyougoodthing in his races, but Hes Themightyspin was a different matter.

“Greg’s the best in the business, but there was never any doubt I would drive ‘Sunny’ (Hes Themightyspin) and I really can’t wait. The thought of getting him back has brought me to tears a few times and just driving him in a race will be amazing regardless of the outcome.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink