Teamwork the key to trotting win

Third generation Victorian harness racing horseman Clinton Welsh landed a Melton winner last week but was quick to push the praise to his wife Sarah.

“I don’t do too much with the horse. Sarah works him a lot of the time,” Welsh,62, based at Toolern Vale, said.

Six-year-old bay gelding Wilcannia (Andover Hall) posted his third career win with a strong staying performance in the Allied Express Trot on Friday (July 7).

After being eased early and settling one-out and three back, the very slow race tempo (34.6 and 31.6) tempted Welsh to make his move with 1200m to go. He sat outside the leader Bacardi Chic (David Magri) and despite Wilcannia always looking the winner, the two went stride for stride with the latter getting the verdict by a half neck in 2.06-3.

“Apart from being a good money-spinner because of his consistent form, he’s a pleasure to have around the place.  I do prefer the trotters, too,” Welsh said.

“Sarah is a part-owner along with Graham Mulhall, of Hawthorn, who has been a longtime owner with our family. I’m semi-retired these days and we only do three or four horses at a time.”

Welsh and his father Neville, a champion trainer-driver over many decades, were a force to be reckoned with when they teamed up from the 1980s.

“Dad is living at Elmore these days. He’s 85 years old but is quite active and keeps an eye on things,” Clinton said.

Neville, who in 2012 received Victorian Harness Racing’s highest accolade, the Gordon Rothacker Medal, grew up in the Sydenham-Keilor area and worked with his father Lew at the family farm.

After taking over driving responsibilities as a teenager, he landed his first win as a 16yo at Horsham on Sea Witch. More soon followed and Seawitch and Ruggles helped put him on the map. Years later came Murray Mac, Jotto and Son Of Nancy, who took out the 1970 Mildura Pacing Cup and 1971 AG Hunter Cup.

Welsh won the Melbourne Showgrounds drivers premiership in 1970-71 with 23 winners. The following year he teamed with brilliant filly Annastere to win the Victorian Derby and Oaks, while he went down narrowly with Monara in the 1972 Brisbane Inter-Dominion Final.

“We had a lot of success back in the day with West Texas Crude and Wildenstein, who were both square-gaiters,” Clinton said.

West Texas Crude finished with 34 wins and 44 placings for $260k (which included a stint with Wayne Innes in NSW) during 1999 to 2007; while Wildenstein (a half-brother to Wilcannia) put together 11wins and 20 placings during 2011 to 2015.

Clinton Welsh made his driving debut in 1979/80 and according to official records he has 442 winners and 958 placings from 5308 drives.

Among his notable victories are Helens Pleasure (trained by Ken Dihm) in the $25k G2 Ladyship Cup Final at Moonee Valley, May 18, 1991; Jesses Mate (Dick Lee) in the $38K listed classic El Dorado 3yo Trot at Moonee Valley, May 30, 1998, and Red Samurai, which he trained and drove himself to win the $20k G3 Bruce Skeggs Trot Cup at Cranbourne on March 28, 2010.

As a trainer-driver, Welsh also enjoyed success in the 1980s with Family Credit (17 wins), Easy Key (nine wins), and Just Counsel (seven wins). Classy chestnut trotter Red Samurai with 12 wins for $101k raced during 2006 to 2011.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink