Time called on 11-year-old’s career

After nearly 300 starts across almost nine years harness racing’s much-loved squaregaiter Opia has run his last race.

Kilmore horseman Bill Milner has decided to call time on his old mate’s career and is now in the process of finding him a new home to live out retirement.

Opia’s longevity was quite remarkable, with the son of Lawman winning his maiden as a two-year-old in 2013 and scoring at least one victory every year until 2022.

The gelding’s 25th and last triumph came at Maryborough last October, with his final race fittingly at his home track of Kilmore on January 23.

“I just feel he’s had enough,” said Milner, who bred, owned and trained the bay Lawman gelding.

“The last couple of runs haven’t been up to scratch. He’s had nearly 300 starts and that’s enough for him.”

Milner said it was a hard decision to retire the 11-year-old.

“I love the old bloke and he loves being at home more to the point,” he said.

“Whenever I put him out in the paddock, he runs up and down the fence until he comes home.”

Opia raced a handful of times at the elite level as a younger horse, but was never gifted with top-end talent. However, that didn’t stop him regularly finding the winner’s stall, with his 295 starts returning 25 victories and another 62 placings for earnings just shy of $180,000.

The best of those triumphs, at least from a stakes perspective, came on a Saturday night during 2015 at Tabcorp Park Melton when he led all the way to win the $8,275 University Meat Trot.

“He’s always been mediocre, from when he was two-year-old,” said Milner, who bred Opia using his mare Auravale.

“He wasn’t on the bottom, he wasn’t on the top. He’s always been thereabouts.”

By Tim O’Connor for HRV