Talk about horses for courses!

Passionate Maryborough harness racing trainer-driver Mark Hayes reckons he might have to keep a watchful eye on future Horsham programs.

Five-year-old gelding Ser Patrick (Bacardi Lindy-Duchess Pat (Earl) kept his undefeated record at the track intact on Monday afternoon in the $7,000 Magnum Equine Trot.

“That was the third time we’ve raced him at Horsham, and we got the money again. He’s such a lump of a horse and just loves the big corners and long straights,” a jubilant Hayes said.

“We certainly plan on going back as much as possible—but we won’t be there at the next meeting because there’s not a suitable race,” he lamented.

After settling down one-out and two-back near the tail end of the field, Hayes soon afterwards advanced to the one-one as Cheermeonimdancin worked to the top.

Hayes pulled out with a lap to go and took over as race leader and while Majestic Pride (Ryan Sanderson) threatened, Ser Patrick pulled out plenty to score nicely.

“They only went slow early, but I was very happy with our horse who ran a 57 second (27.9 and 29.1) last half,” Hayes said.

Ser Patrick won at Maryborough at his second race start back in early September 2019 but injury interruptions and time to mature have left the square gaiter lightly raced, with only 22 lifetime starts.

Ser Patrick managed six starts during 2021 – including a trip to Horsham in May for, you guessed it, a win. Then in February this year, with Hayes confident the gentle giant’s injury niggles were behind, he was back to the track and, on his fourth start back made the two-hour trip to Horsham in March for an impressive 16-metre victory.  He repeated the dose for the hat-trick on Monday.

Hayes races the square-gaiter in partnership with his wife Sue, who is always happy to get on the highway to Horsham.

“Sue grew up at Horsham. Her dad Max Parish was a well-known trainer-driver in the area and won the driver’s premiership. He worked for Jack McKay, known as ‘Minyip Jack’, for a bit. Max died about six months ago,” Hayes said.

Hayes said that while Ser Patrick had always shown ability, he had been frustrating at times.

“He’s probably spent more time in the paddock than on the track.  He had a sore knee at one stage and then there were a few other problems along the way,” Hayes said.

“Because we owned him and he was so big, we’d just toss him out. He was always in a paddock near our jog track so I could see what he was up too. When he was running around full of energy, I’d know he was ready to come back into work.

“We bought Ser Patrick’s dam Duchess Pat at a New Zealand yearling sales after it was picked out by Kirk Larsen. It didn’t cost a lot to get her out here back then. She won five races and had eight second placings. She was very honest.

“When we retired her, she missed getting in foal in 2013 and then slipped the next season. Ser Patrick was her first live foal and she’s had two since. One is a yearling by Skyvalley that pokes along nicely.”

A renowned horse-breaker who has given numerous classy performers their early education, Hayes said Ser Patrick was now enjoying a couple of easy days.

“There’s nothing around for him for a bit. It won’t hurt him, because we’re really busy doing the babies. There’s about 14 here that belong to Emilio and Mary Rosati, who have been sending them down to us for a good few years.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink