A quick learner has delivered Ellen Tormey and her gelding’s connections a dream place in a long coveted race.
Quick Andover’s unfavourable draw in today’s Seelite Windows and Doors Redwood Classic has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of his Bendigo trainer-driver Tormey and owner-breeders John Tormey, Kevin Clark and Ian Patterson.
“The owners are mad trotting fans and are stoked to be in it,” Tormey said ahead of her debut Redwood Classic. “I’m rapt to get a chance this year.”
While the Classic had been a goal of connections it didn’t always appear likely.
“Dad (John) did all the early work with him and I got him a month before the Vicbred Platinum (in May),” Tormey said.
“Dad always had a pretty good opinion of him, but when I got him, to be honest, I thought the horse had no idea. He probably hadn’t worked with a lot of other horses and he didn’t do a lot at his trials.”
Therefore Quick Andover’s third placing on debut in his heat of the Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic “surprised”, preceding a fourth placing in the $50,000 final “and he has just kept improving”.
“He’s pretty easy to get along with,” Tormey said. “His family has a history of being a bit crazy, so I let him do his own thing and his last two starts he has been perfect. It is a pleasure to do anything with him.”
Quick Andover’s career now stretches eight starts that have yielded two wins and three third placings, including a last start win at Maryborough on July 26 when he made his standing start debut in preparation for Sunday’s discipline.
The start will be all important today. Four of the 12 combatants are yet to begin from a standing start but will have earned their starting tickets through trials. Drawing gate 13, the widest gate on the back row, means Tormey and Quick Andover will be able to watch the early drama unfold.
“With two lines of six across at the start there is not a lot of room for error,” Tormey said. “It will be a new experience for them, but most will hopefully handle the occasion.
“Starting from 13 is not ideal, but we will be out of the way of the really bad traffic and following through two good ones.
“He’s going to need a bit of luck in this class. He’ll need a sit, but if he gets up close I think he can run in the top five.
“I know whatever he does this season he will improve on after a break, because he looks more like a three-year-old, but to have a horse good enough to go in the Redwood is an honour.”
Michael Howard
for Trots Media