Young team has the polish out

A young harness racing team in southwestern New South Wales has every reason to be looking forward to the next few months with a fair degree of optimism.

Reinsman Thomas Gilligan and trainer Brooke McPherson have built up a handy team of horses at their relatively new property at Henty, halfway between Albury and Wagga Wagga.

Spear heading the stable is lightly raced, but exciting gelding Ultimate Hughey (Sunshine Beach-Goodtime Annabella (American Ideal).

“He’s the first horse that my fiancée Brooke and I bred. I would think he’s capable of taking the next step and winning a metro race,” Gilligan said.

“In his early preparations I probably sacked him four times before he clicked. But we’re absolutely over the moon with him now.”

Ultimate Hughey impressed when he went border hopping to Cobram in late March. Driven by junior Shepparton driver Cody Crossland, the gelding spreadeagled a handy field, posting a rate of 1.55.4 for the long trip and winning by over 20 metres.

Two starts later the pacer continued on his winning way with a victory in the Coolamon Cup – courtesy of an outstanding drive by the talented Gilligan. Travelling three back the pegs for most of the way, the reinsman found a needle-eye opening over the final stages to snatch a win.

At his latest race start at Melton last Saturday night, Ultimate Hughey finished sixth beaten 20 metres.

“We were happy because it was a big road trip down and he’ll improve when he gets use to travelling and racing against quality horses,” Gilligan said.

Ultimate Hughey is only lightly raced, with just 21 starts, and apart from the Coolamon Cup success, he was runner-up in the Junee and Temora Cups.

Gilligan said he and McPherson did acknowledge the irony in believing that the pacer will be a “very nice type”.

“We still have a bit of a laugh because I hated his dam Goodtime Annabella. We just didn’t see eye-to-eye, although she won two races. It’s surprised us that she threw such a lovely horse.  But all the horses that we’ve had sired by Sunshine Beach are nice.”

Gilligan is a third-generation horseman in the sport, following in the footsteps of his father Shane (who trained and drove until a few years ago) and his late grandfather Ron.

It’s been a busy time for the young couple who had their first child Matilda 13 months ago and then purchased a 60-acre training property at Henty.

“Brooke is working a team of eight and I’m around as much as possible, but I’ve gone out full-time shoeing with a good run of clients. So, we’re pretty busy most of the time, but the main thing is we’re enjoying it,” Gilligan laughed.

Although Ultimate Hughey is shaping a nicely, he falls someway short of being the best the couple has in the barn.

“Brooke is really happy because our top horse Rusty Crackers has just returned from a spell,” Gilligan said.

“We’ve won 16 races with him, including four country cups and he gave us our first metro win,” he said.

Gilligan combined with Rusty Crackers (Dawn Ofa New Day-Dilingers Comment (D M Dilinger) to get the money at Menangle in September 2020, in 1.51.4.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink