Stable news from around the country

CHRISTMAS came early for 79-year-old trainer Arthur Clancy at last week’s Bathurst (Dec. 14) harness racing meeting with an $84 winner.

Clancy used the barrier one alley to advantage and led all the way with three-year-old filly Rose Of Juliana (American Ideal) in the Town and Country Rural Supplies Pace.

And the win was more than a bit special as Clancy not only trains the pacer, but he bred her and is the owner as well. The sprite horseman would be one of the oldest (if not the oldest) going around in NSW.

The win was even more memorable as, coincidentally, it was Clancy’s 79th victory.

He only ever prepares a couple of horses at a time and now has two wins for the season. He also won back on October 7 at his home track with another horse he bred, 12/1 chance The Ringmaster (Auckland Reactor).

Clancy moved to Bathurst from Wollongong to work at the County Council and play footy. After his footy career finished, he got involved in harness racing through a workmate.

Needless-to-say, 50 years on he’s still as enthusiastic as ever with wife Carmel helping out around the stables, along with jogger work at their 25-acre property at Laughing Waters. On fastwork days, Clancy is joined by a mate Dennis Oxley and the pair go into the main Bathurst track.

TASMANIA’S powerhouse Ben Yole is in the headlines again as his record-breaking season rolls on.

Yole has posted national and state records—and at Burnie last Friday night became the first trainer across all three codes to prepare 300 Tasmanian victories in a single season.

But what slipped under the radar was the win by four-year-old Euroking (Somebeachsomewhere) at the Launceston meeting on Sunday night. Driven by brother Mark, the victory was Ben’s 1500th career win.

The gelding was sent forward to the head of affairs and was never in any danger after being rated perfectly by Mark. Euroking is raced by Solotrek and Ben Yole Racing Pty Ltd. 

A “fab four” at Burnie has Mark sitting second on the Tassie drivers’ table and he’s running hot at the moment in pursuit of premiership leader Mitch Ford.

VICTORIAN Goulburn Valley region horseman Brett Bunfield, who runs a successful water walker facility, has joined an elite group of trainers.

Bunfield is well-known for his skills in preparing standardbred winners—but has now branched out to the thoroughbred code and a few weeks ago cheered home his first gallops winner.

Four-year-old gelding Blixten (described by his wife and owner Janelle as their little ‘pocket rocket’) got the money at Wangaratta. Leading up to that race, he’d put the writing on the wall with a big run to finish second at Tatura.

Blixten, aka Hudson, was purchased online as a yearling for “a couple of thousand dollars.” The Bunfields broke the galloper in themselves, but later found they didn’t have enough track workers to educate the horse with others.

So the youngster was sent off to Chibnall Racing where their hard work “helped Blixten to perfect his craft”.

Bunfield said he’s worked out an easy training program for his galloper meaning he has someone on his back only once a week or even every 10 days.

He’s found that Blixten appreciates not being ridden all the time, so he mostly goes on the lead behind some of his standardbreds. And, of course, he does get a daily water workout.

The Bunfields’ Harkaway Lodge water walker facility consists of a circular pool and the horses walk in about a metre of water to stimulate conditioning.

LOCAL trotter Leanne Leeanne (Danny Bouchea) was a popular winner at the Geelong meeting, conducted on Tuesday (Dec 20).

Leanne Leeann and her 82-year-old trainer/driver Bob Kuchenmeister competed in the recent ID22 square-gaiter series – but the trotter’s numerical figures (7-9-6) don’t do them justice, because the pair gave it their all.

A seventh in the opening heat at Ballarat was okay as they were three wide early and stewards noted she raced rough when restrained. Three days later at Shepparton the mare was again wide in the early bit, but the next run at Geelong over the 2570m trip was full of merit, running sixth and going down by 20metres. But to compete in the Inter was a thrill for Kuchenmeister and his owners.

Leanne Leeann appreciated the drop in class this week and took out the Yabby Dam Farms Trotters Handicap by four metres in 2.04-2 for the standing start event. It was her ninth win of her career and took her stakes to over $62,000.

THE Geelong club will host its first ever “Dachshund Dash” as an added feature at its race meeting on Sunday, January 22.

It’s hoped to have five heats of 15 with the first two placings in each heat going through to a final. Registrations close at 5pm today.

The club is also urging those not up to racing, to enter in the “fashions on the field” best dressed competition. The cost to take part in both is $20.

Wagga’s Riverina Paceway has held similar races for the dachshund breed, which has been well received by those in attendance.  While they are small, they enjoy running and can reach speeds of 15 to 20 mph—albeit in short bursts!

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink