Problem child navigates first victory

Ascot Park trainer Jeremy Douglas admits Macandrew Navigator hasn’t been an easy harness racing horse to get to the races.

“I’ve had him for a year. He came from Kirstin’s (Barclay). She was having a bit of a problem getting him going and she thought he needed to be on a bigger (training) track. He’s got a lot of tricks. Nathan (Williamson) had a drive on him and came back shaking his head and saying the horse does too much thinking out there,” Douglas says.

Douglas says there’s no doubting the horse’s ability, but he just lacks maturity.

“I think all the tricks will disappear and he’ll be a nice horse. I’ve tried all sorts of things with him, but nothing seems to work. You try and work him harder to settle him down, but he seems to love that and wants to be worked hard the next time. He doesn’t really care. He’s got a big body with a little brain.”

Douglas says there’s no doubting the horse’s ability, but he just lacks maturity.

“I think all the tricks will disappear and he’ll be a nice horse. I’ve tried all sorts of things with him, but nothing seems to work. You try and work him harder to settle him down, but he seems to love that and wants to be worked hard the next time. He doesn’t really care. He’s got a big body with a little brain.”

Owned by Megan Tutty along with her father Mark Reidie and her brothers Andrew and Jamie and the Kiwi Connection Syndicate, Macandrew Navigator is a half brother to Riverton Cup winner Macandrew Aviator.

“He hasn’t got the speed of his brother but he’s a pretty tough animal.”

MACANDREW NAVIGATOR REPLAY

So what’s next for the four year old Sir Lincoln gelding?

“The plan was to win one race and chuck him out but with these Winter Rewards races coming up we’ll just carry on and race on the 7^{th of} July and turn him out after that.”

Since he began training at Ascot Park, Douglas has increased his stable numbers.

“I’ve had to learn to say no. I’ve starting to get some good owners around me, and I’ve got Jen Donoghue helping me and we work in with Tyler (Dewe. And Rory (Mcllwrick) will come and drive one for me.”

Today’s win was Douglas’s twenty seventh as a trainer and his thirteen as a driver.

For complete Invercargill race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart