Is it Father Time’s year?

The Dominion Trot is a race trainer Kevin Townley would love to win and after Father Time’s (Father Patrick) win in today’s $60,000 Group Three The White Murph South Bay Trotters Cup, he now has to decide whether to start him in next week’s feature or wait another year.

“It’ll be up to Kev whether he rolls the dice this year or holds off until next year,” winning driver Tim Williams said.

Hidden Talent took up the role as pacemaker and Williams had to be content sitting parked.

“Kev always thought he’d handle the track because he’s a great gaited wee fella and a good steering wee dude who doesn’t wear any excess gear. He was really happy out there. He relaxed nice, travelled the last bend well, but the only problem was I was giving John (John Dunn driving Bounce N Beyond) great cover and he ran pretty close.”

FATHER TIME REPLAY

The winning margin was half a head with Bounce N Beyond finishing second and a length and a quarter back to Midnight Dash.

The winning time of 3-00.2 was just outside the race and track record of 2-59.4 held by 2022 winner Sundees Sun.

“Kev said to forget about the run at Ashburton (the Trotters Sprint), it was too bad to be true. You’ve got to take him on his word because he knows his horses inside out. He travelled super in the run today and it was a brilliant run.”

So, will Townley venture to this year’s Dominion? Williams thinks he’s capable of handling the 3200 metre trip.

“I think so. He’s got such a great demeaner, he relaxes and races without earplugs. He’s proven early in his prep that he can follow the good ones and be right there at the finish.”  

Townley has had a few runners in the Dominion –  Solar Fire in both 1999 and 2000, while his late father Doody won the Dominion sixty years ago driving Mighty Chief.

Father Time is out a Monarchy daughter of Solar Fire in Firenze.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink