Cold Pursuit warms up Norman’s day

It’s been eighteen years since Brydone trainer Keith Norman trained a harness racing winner, but in saying that it’s not been his main focus over the thirty four seasons he’s held a licence.

Over that period Norman ran Bryleigh Lodge, standing stallions Son Of Afella, The Gladiator and Washington VC.

The win yesterday at the Forbury meeting at Wingatui by Cold Pursuit (Washington VC) was the third in Norman’s training career, his last being Holmes Dean at Winton in May 2006.

In the Agrispray Mobile Pace driver Matthew Williamson got the gelding off the gate and led all the way to hold off trailing horse Donald Trot by a length and a half.

“I was very happy because we had five to six placings close together and I was beginning to think we weren’t going to win one. The good thing about yesterday was that it was a $15,000 maiden race so we got $8,200 instead of the normal $6,200. He was suited by the grass track which we haven’t had before,”Norman said.

COLD PURSUIT REPLAY

Cold Pursuit who Norman owns with his wife Tracey, is out of Julius Caesar mare Julia Jones who’s a half-sister to millionaire pacer Sokyola. Julia Jones won two races for Merv Todd and her only other foal of racing age is Superfast, the winner of four for the Normans.

“When Merv retired to the retirement village I bought her off him. Holmes Dean was from exactly the same breed as well.”

Julia Jones latest foal is a filly by Locharburn.

“I had to lift her up and feed her off the mare for the first couple of days. It took two weeks before she could stand by itself. I’m just trying to gait her right now.”

Norman says there has been some interest in Cold Pursuit.

“Funnily enough people have been trying to buy him cheaply to go to the Manawatu and he would have been racing there on Tuesday if I’d accepted the offer. I got $8,000 yesterday and I would only have got $5,000 the other way (laughter).”

The win was one of three for Williamson. The others were Tarragindi and Hayley Robyn.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink