Pacing one day and trotting the next

Being dual gaited isn’t anything unusual these days.

You only have to think about horses like Take After Me, who’s had 124 starts as a pacer and 213 as a trotter, with 19 wins from his total 337 harness racing starts.

But what Outamyway (Love You) is attempting at Kaikoura over the next few days is a bit out of the box.

The Love You five-year-old will front up in the R46-55 Precut Construction Mobile Pace for the junior drivers on Sunday, and then back it up the next day by taking on Oscar Bonavena and co in the Group 3 IRT Your Horse. Our Passion South Bay Trotters’ Cup on Monday.

While it’s an unusual assignment trainer Paul Nairn isn’t too fazed by it.

“It’s an experiment in some ways,” trainer Paul Nairn says, “but we did a similar thing with him on the West Coast.”

And it certainly worked out well then.

Back in December 2021 he had back to back wins in pacing races at Westport on Boxing Day and December 28, and then finished third two days later in a trot at Reefton.

Altogether he’s had those two pacing and six trotting wins in his combined 44 starts.

So does he ever get confused?

“No,” Nairn says, “he knows to pace when he’s got the hopples on!”

As for his chances over the two days Nairn’s concerned about starting on the outside of the front row over 1900m on Sunday.

“He’s drawn out a bit (6) so hopefully he won’t get a tough run”

In the meeting’s feature trot he’s fared a lot better, drawing two.

“He’s not a high speed horse but if he has a good beginning he shouldn’t be too far away.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Dave Di Somma, for Harness News Desk