“He’s a bit green but I’ve got a bit of time for him,” harness racing trainer Tony Stratford said after Cherokee Jack won on debut at Ascot Park today.
Stratford bought Cherokee Jack along with Leithen Burn and Sweet Lizzie at a weanling sale three years ago, and they’ve all now been winners.
Stratford intention when he went to the Sales was to buy a horse by Bettor’s Delight.
“That’s why we bought Leithen Burn. The Bettor’s weanlings were going for good money at the time and he was one of the cheaper ones. I was filling in time later on, wandering around looking at horses and spotted him (Cherokee Jack) in the box. He was way down at the end, as far away as he could be, and he was lying in the box asleep. I gave him a whistle and he got up and I thought – he’s quite a nice horse – so I thought we’d have a smack at him as well.”
Cherokee Jack was offered at the sale by Woodlands Stud and in his pedigree has The Orange Agent and high class Australian winner Cincinnati Kid.
In today’s race driver Blair Orange had Cherokee Jack back from the gate when it pulled away and he settled the gelding second to last on the outside before he improved to sit parked with just over a lap to run. In an ice cool drive, Orange didn’t hustle the three year old first starter, instead handling him quietly to win by a half a head from another first starter Livy Desma.
“Blair looked after him. He got round, kept him out of trouble and just looked after him coming down the straight which was good. Although he won by a small margin it appeared as though he was just sitting on him.”
Cherokee Jack (8) winning through the middle — Bruce Stewart Photo
Winning connections — Bruce Stewart Photo
Stratford trains out of the Gore Racecourse. Although it has an all-weather track it won’t be used next season with the Gore Harness Club down to race two of it’s meeting at Wyndham and the other two on the grass track at Gore.
“As long as the gallops are held at Gore we should be fine to carry on. For us, as far as I’m concerned, Gore is a training centre now. If the gallops shut up shop here we could be in a bit of bother. I’m at the track on my own at the moment but normally Ross and Chris Wilson, Matt Brinsdon, Tony Holland and Alan McVicar have horses training here.”
Stratford said he’s in a rebuilding stage and that he has a few two year olds and some yearlings he likes.
“I’ve got a Vincent filly out of Tara Tutaia (Somebeachsomewhere – Tara Gold). She’s a really nice filly and will be good enough to race at two. She’s only small but she’s built like a wee colt. I’ve also got an Always B Miki two year old filly out of Love The Look that Stevie Sloan owns. It’s a big strapping bold going filly.”
Meanwhile Tweedledee sewed up the Caduceus Club of Southland Trotter of the Year title at Ascot Park when she won her seventh race for trainer Lyndon Bond and driver Sam Ottley.
— Bruce Stewart Photo
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by Bruce Stewart