Clonakilty show class in final

The Ashburton trained Clonakilty (Downbytheseaside) showed a bit of class today when he easily won the $22,000 Anne Thompson Pacers Graduation Final at the Rangiora Harness Racing Club meeting.

Driver Sarah O’Reilly settled the four year old back in the field. Clonakilty improved three wide with just over a lap to run and cruised down to the line to win by a length and three quarters from Pioneer, with favourite Chicago Bear a neck back in third.

CLONAKILTY REPLAY

“Today we knew we had to chance our arm and put him in the race at some stage. Traditionally Rangiora is not a track you can do work on then still be there at the finish. To do what he did and then prick his ears close to the finish line was a pretty nice feeling,” said Brent White who trains the gelding in partnership with his son Tim.

Clonakilty was developed by Danny McKendry who won three workouts with him before he went to the White stable.

“A lot of credit must go to Sarah because she drove him at the Workouts and told Tim the horse might be worth a look. Danny’s been a traditional seller so we watched the horse go a second time, got him vetted and bought him. Danny always does a great job with his horses. They’re very well mannered and he’s been given plenty of time. He told us he got a slight injury last year so he just turned him out. I think that’s been the key to him. Time’s been his friend.” 

Clonakilty qualified at Ashburton on the 19^th of March before debuting and winning at Rangiora in early May. That win qualified him for today’s final.

“It’s a great concept because it gives everyone a chance to race for a few dollars. It’s good to be racing over a bit of distance for a change instead of whacking around Addington over 1980 all the time.”

Clonakilty is named after a town in County Cork Ireland which is close to the coast, so being by Downbytheseaside the name makes sense.

Clonakilty will go to the spelling paddock for two weeks.

“He’s had a pretty big preparation. The owners are a very social bunch and they’re real hell bent on getting a penalty free win so at some stage he’ll probably head south. A couple of the owners are real good mates who haven’t had a horse with me for a long time. They own 25% each. There’s a group of guys from Temuka – the Magpie Syndicate and Big Bad Denis O’Reilly who got a group of people from Ashburton to take a small share each. It’s a great group.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink