Campaign back on track for Old Town Road

Trainer John Dickie is convinced Old Town Road’s (Bettor’s Delight) Auckland Cup harness racing campaign is back on track.

But he says getting him back from the track might be the problem.

The Race by Grins runner-up has not been seen since then and Dickie says that is partially due to developing the most unusual of problems.

“He has become a bit of a bad traveller but not going to the races, only coming home,” says Dickie.

“His last two starts have been at Cambridge and both times he has gone down with Majestic because he seems to travel better in the big transporters than my truck.

“So it hasn’t affected his racing so much but both times he has got very upset coming home.

“The drivers can see what is going in the back of the trucks because they have cameras and he gets very worked up and never stops moving the whole time and when the truck stops at a stop sign he half rears up.

“When he got home after The Race by Grins we had to hose him down after the trip because had got so worked up.”

While that could take a lot out of a horse Dickie says it inadvertently led to the discovery of a small issue which was treated, hence seeing Old Town Road miss the Taylor Mile and Messenger.

“He kicked out and knocked his fetlock and it was nothing serious but when we got the vet to look at it we discovered a small issue just on the side of the fetlock.

“It was nothing serious but we took that opportunity to treat it and he is fine now.”

Old Town Road’s next three trips will be shorter, the next being to the Pukekohe workouts in 10 days time before he resumes in the Roy Purdon on May 19 followed by the Auckland Cup on May 26.

“Then he can have a good long spell and get ready for next season and hopefully his first year at this level will help him develop.”

Dickie takes his very talented trotter That’s What We Do to Alexandra Park tomorrow night (Thursday) and says while the four-year-old has a big motor Race 4 will present an interesting mental challenge for him.

“He is on a 15m handicap over 2200m but three of his four wins have come in mobile starts,” explains Dickie.

“I think he will eventually be a good standing start horse but being off 15m over 2200m while he is still learning won’t be easy.”

Tomorrow’s meeting is set to have a host of short priced favourites headlined by unbeaten filly Millwood Nike (race 7) while her also unbeaten stablemate High Energy will be very short on her northern debut in the $27,000 What The Hill Northern Trotting Oaks.

For complete race results, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand