A long way from home

Although Waiuku harness racing trainer Adrienne Matthews has been on her share of roadies, Hesashorething (Somebeachsomewhere) whom she’s starting at Addington on Friday night (May 4) is leaving the North Island for the first time. 

“I foaled him at home, so he hasn’t had a lot of time off the property. He never stayed away from home until February when we went down to Hawera for the Country Cups meeting. We also went down to the Manawatu for a few nights, so this is a pretty big trip for him,” Matthews said.

Hesashorething will run in the $40,000 Listed Betavet Uncut Gems Geldings and Entires Classic and he’s drawn gate one for the 1980 metre mobile event.

“He’s got plenty of gate speed and he loves to be rolling in front. Some of his best races have been over the sprint trip where he’s led off the gate, but he can also hand up and take a sit if something comes forward like Anything Goes (American Ideal).”

Matthews travelled south early with the five year old and the horse is stabled at Gavin Smith’s property at Woodend Beach.

“The first day he was a bit unsettled because he’d made mates with the ones on the truck. Then he had to leave them. He’s settled down, been down to the beach and he loves it there. His work’s been good and I’m really happy with him.” 

Matthews shares in the ownership of the entire with her mother Phillipa Butcher, her husband Johnnie Butcher and good family friend Graeme Williams.

It’s not the first time Matthews has ventured to Addington. She took Hesashorething’s mother Shestherealdeal (American Ideal) down in 2014 to race in the Listed Sires Stakes Southern Mares Classic in which she finished ninth.

Once he’s safely through Friday night’s assignment Hesashorething will stay on for the 3200 metre Listed $90,000 Country Championship next Friday.

“I don’t think the distance will bother him, but he can be a bit iffy from the stand. Jay knows him pretty well and he’s normally alright if they line up and go away. If they muck around and they stand them then he starts to get a bit upset.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink