Yates happy to get back on the Hard Road

While the fast-finishing skewbald in tonight’s final race at Shepparton may well attract the most attention, all 61 of tonight’s combatants will carry hopes that they can show a bit of Holstein's glitz and glamour.

Among that lot is Hard Road, who will step out in the Shepparton BMW 3YO Pace for trainer-breeder-owner Andrew Yates, a former New South Wales horseman who’s returned to the game with the lightly-raced home-bred pacer.

“It’s good, you miss not doing it,” Yates said, with Hard Road’s debut this month his first runner since November 27, 2014.

“It’s good to be back again having a go with him and I have a couple of yearlings coming up, so hopefully I will be back in the game for a while now.”

Hard Road is a personal project for Yates, having bred him from two of his former competitors: 10-time winning stallion Our First Fantasy and two-time winning mare Mary Ann Brandon.

“I reared him, broke him in. He’s a nice-natured horse, paces nicely,” he said. “Touch wood, he’s pretty foolproof. I just hope he improves a bit.”

Hard Road is the third of the Our First Fantasy-Mary Ann Brandon breed, having been preceded by Jay Be Brandon, who had an Elmore win among 10 starts before being retired to HRV HERO for a more suited life-after-racing, and Buddy Brandon, who is working towards a first career start.

Hard Road’s two starts have shown modest form, including giving ground in the latter stages of his last start after sitting in the running line, and Yates said gradual improvement was the main aim at present.

“He needed trials and a bit more education, but there aren’t many around at present,” he said. “He has improved a bit with his racing.”

It’s hoped a move from the middle distance to the mile tonight will have him hitting the line.

He’ll start from gate three, directly inside High Flux, who is trained and will be driven by Yates’ son Simon Turnbull.

The pair share the training duties at Yates’ Mooroopna North West stables, with High Flux well placed for another forward showing tonight, when the stable hopes his four consecutive placings may be a prelude to his first win.

As for Hard Road, there are more modest ambitions at this stage, with Yates aware it may be gradual progress, as his horse’s name implies.

“There’s a saying it’s a hard road for an old dog, and I was thinking it’s a bloody hard road getting them going.”

TALKING TROTS ON SENTRACK:

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Today's guests include:

11am: HRV GM of Racing Stephen Bell

11.20am: Trainer-driver David Murphy

11.50am: Driver Royce Nutt

After noon: The Wednesday quiz

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