Tairlaw Toll provided Kaiwera harness racing trainer Carl Hanna with his first training win when he impressively won the Fairbairn Plumbing Mobile Pace at Winton today.
Matty Williamson and Tairlaw Toll
The giant seven year old was bred by Brent McIntyre at Macca Lodge and began his career with Ascot Park trainer Brent Shirley followed by stints with McIntyre and Kyle Cameron. Hanna has only had Tairlaw Toll for two starts.
“He went super last week at Invercargill. They went 2-40 and it was a drop back in grade if anything,” said Matty Williamson who drove the gelding.
Williamson pushed the go button early on Tairlaw Toll (Somebeachsomewhere) and the intent was to stay in front.
“He rolled off the gate nice and once he found the front he was never going to get beat. He won easily.”
The winning margin was seven and a quarter lengths with the Brent McIntyre trained Sweet Annie running second. The winning time on an easy track was 2-56.3.
Out on his own at the finish
Hanna had a bit to do with Tairlaw Toll early in his career when he worked at Macca Lodge.
“Anyone who knows the horse would tell you how much ability he has but he doesn’t always click. It was just great to see him win again today. After he won two races for Brent (McIntyre) and ran fourth in the South of the Waitaki he got crook. It took him a long time to come back. Kyle has done a great job with him taking him to the West Coast and to Blenheim so a lot of credit must go to him,” Hanna said.
Hanna manages a 450 cow dairy farm at Kaiwera on the Clinton – Mataura back road where he trains Tairlaw Toll.
“I just train him round the paddocks and gallop him up the hills. He’s a quirky horse but I’ve always got on with him. I don’t know why.”
Hanna, his mother Pam Ashworth and step father and former trainer Ross Rennie race the horse on lease from Macca Lodge.
“When I sent him up to the Kyles I wanted them to have a horse to see race in Canterbury. Ross has had a huge influence on my involvement with horses.”
Today’s win was Tairlaw Toll’s sixth from forty four starts.
View the Winton results click here!