Retired trotter gives Kiwi driver first Group 1

From retirement to a Group 1 winner — that has been harness racing’s story of Superfast Stuart gelding Wee Man Trouble.

The seven-year-old spent a year away from the racetrack but the determination of trainer Shannon Price paid dividends at Albion Park on Saturday (Jul. 23) with success in the $53,040 Group 1 Queensland Trotters Cup.

“He was in retirement for about six months and the vet said he’d never seen a horse comeback with the injury he had, give him time off and good luck,” said Price.

Now, just six starts later Wee Man Trouble has won at the highest level giving driver Luke Whittaker his first Group 1 winner.

The New Zealand reinsman has been driving in Australia since last year and now has six wins to his credit since making the move.

“That’s pretty special,” said Whittaker.

“To do it on this horse tonight for Shannon and Scott means a lot.

“This horse was in retirement for a year, Shannon wanted to bring him back, Scott said no, Shannon eventually got her way and now here we are.

“It’s been a fair bit of a rush to get him here.

“The horse had a setback a few weeks ago and this tonight just goes to show what trainers Shannon and Scott are.”

Wee Man Trouble started at odds of $16 and after racing three back the pegs for the majority of the 2138m feature, Whittaker was able to angle the trotter into the one-one at a vital stage.

Tough Monarch set the tempo in front with the quarters run in 30, 29.2, 28.4 and 29.9 seconds.

Once in clear running Wee Man Trouble went on to win by more than a metre over Credit Master and Majestic Harry in a rate of 1:57.4.

WEE MAN TROUBLE REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Amanda Rando, for Harnesslink