Trish triumphs after some tricky times

Country Victorian harness racing trainer Trish McVeigh admits that she can be quite stubborn at times and doesn’t admit defeat too easily.

But she looks set to be rewarded for her determination with three-year-old trotting gelding Aetos Dynamis (Skyvalley) showing plenty of upside in a win on debut. “It’s been a bit of a journey with him because he was always jumpy and flighty – he’d even run through fences when he got really terrified,” McVeigh said.

“We put it down to anxiety.  I may have been ready to walk away, but my partner Dan (Whitworth), who doesn’t come from a horse background, stuck at it and has put in a lot of work,” she said.

“Dan has a stablehand license and we share the workload, but he deserves a lot of the credit.

“The horse has come a long way, but we still can’t catch him out in the paddock. We have a small yard off the paddock and chase him into that—but he’s getting better!”

Aetos Dynamis was sent out race favorite ($2.50) at Kilmore a fortnight ago (Oct 12) in the $7000 C and M Build Group 3YO and Older maiden trot.

After settling behind the leader Mystery Love, ace reinsman Greg Sugars used the sprint lane to score a fast-finishing one-and-a-half-meter win over Claudys Secret (Kyle Marshall) and Heza Gunslinger (Emmett Brosnan).

For results and replays click here.

Sharp-eyed trials watchers would have been cheering as Aetos Dynamis ran right up to his recent trial form at Maryborough—including a second to the smart Moonwalker.

“We really like him because he’s tough and he has speed. We’ll look after him and he should turn out to be a nice horse. He’s just improved with confidence,” McVeigh said.

“Greg did a super job to win first-up. His next start will be at Maryborough (today, Oct 27) and that will be a tougher assignment.”

Aetos Dynamis, who has drawn the pole this afternoon in race 9, was bred by square-gaiter enthusiast John Davidson, of Dingee, and his brother-in-law Ken Harris.

“We lived near John at one stage, and he popped in to say hello. We become good friends and I used to buy feed from him,” McVeigh said.

“John had two yearlings for sale and didn’t get any takers. I told him we’d be interested in having a go with the Skyvalley-bred fella (Aetos Dynamis) and we happily agreed on a deal, so Dan and I are part-owners along with John and Ken.

“We are all enjoying it and the horse still has a lot to learn because he’s quite green. If he goes well at Maryborough, we’ll look at the Breeders Crown and then maybe have a spell.”

The couple, who have five horses in work, own a training complex at Milloo, near Lockington. The property is on 50 acres and has a 960-metre track.

“I’ve only trained one trotter before. That was years ago, and he ran a few placings, so it was nice to get the win,” she said.

McVeigh, who has driven 37 winners, started her career in flying, but luckless fashion.

“I was driving an eight-year-old maiden pacer at Maryborough at my first drive and there was a bit of interference early, which was nothing to do with me. So after landing the winner and coming off the track to lots of congratulations, 20 minutes later the stewards declared it a no-race!” she said.

“About a week later I drove the same horse at Ballarat and Kerryn Manning got up to just beat me. I remember Kerryn was apologizing, which was quite funny!

“My first five winners were actually driving trotters including some good ones like Bunty’s Invasion.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink