Romeo Foxtrot dances into I Can Doosit ready to surprise

If you were asked at a pub quiz who is the leading stake earner for North Island harness racing two and a bit months into the season, it’s highly unlikely many pundits would have a Rating 61 trotter on their answer cards.

The Cambridge Raceway trained Romeo Foxtrot (Majestic Son) has kicked off 2025 in sublime form for Waikato horsewoman, Susan Branch, with $42,325 in stakes making him the fourth highest earner in the country this season in either gait.

The eight-year-old gelding heads into tonights Listed I Can Doosit $40,000 feature at Alexandra Park looking to make it four wins on the bounce and claim what would be the biggest win of his blossoming career to date.

“Oh yes, it it would be wonderful, but I’m not there to watch him,” his trainer, Susan Branch lamented.

“I’m working at Te Aroha Gallops. I do the swabbing around the Waikato for the Thoroughbreds and it’s my turn to be on, so I’m here, and my husband, Murray, is taking him up,” she said.

Branch has been on hand at Alexandra Park to complete his hattrick of wins last Friday night, capping off a magical run to start that year that began with five minor placings in his eight starts this season.

While she is enjoying the golden run of form with the well related trotter, Branch readily admits that as she is getting on in years and looking to slow down, she wasn’t initially too keen on the idea of the horse entering her barn.

“When we got him, I didn’t want him. I didn’t want Sly Punter either, but both of them turned out to be good horses. He has really surprised us.”

“Both of them were actually on GavelHouse, and they had quite a high reserve on them. Both times, David (son) said, ‘Mum, if he doesn’t sell for what they want, I’m going to lease them both,’ and he did. We mainly got him to help out on the Tuesday race meetings at Cambridge, but he’s improved so much that now we have to take him to Auckland.”

“He’s a very happy horse. I don’t notice much in his work because I swim him most of the time, so he doesn’t give me much indication, but he’s thriving. He’s gotten so strong, and I’m so proud of him. It’s a pretty strong field. The last race meeting he started in didn’t have much form, but every horse in this one has good form.”

ROMEO FOXTROT REPLAY

Romeo Foxtrot began his career with Andrew Bublitz as a four-year-old before joining David Butcher’s barn and subsequently ending up with Branch part way through last season. He’s been a great little earner for his connections having registered 11 wins and 29 placings for over $160,000 in stakes, something not easily achieved without racing at the elite level.

And while the calibre of opposition he meets this evening is somewhat uncharted territory, there is a bit of belief in the camp that the eight-year-old is not merely there to make up the numbers.

“Last week, Harrison (Orange) came in and said he jogged it, and Zachary (Butcher) said he wouldn’t be far away, but the punters have him as the outsider. So we’ll all learn something tonight. He’s been hot favourite when he has won his last three or four starts, so it’ll be interesting to see how he measures up. It’s always a relief to see him go well and not let the punters down,” she said.

The earnings registered by Romeo Foxtrot in 2025 mark the highest stakes earnings for Branch as a trainer dating back to when she first got her training license in 1978, an achievement in itself for a female in what at the time was a predominantly male dominated sport.

“It’s been a hobby of mine for a long time, yes. That’s why I say, ‘No more horses,’ but David keeps getting them for me. I was one of the first female drivers in the country behind Dorothy Cuts and Anne Cooney, and I’m probably the next one on.

“I milked cows on a dairy farm when I left school. My brother worked the horses, so I worked with him as well. I haven’t really had a job as such, except when I moved to Cambridge. My sister worked at a grain company and got me a job there, mending dirty horse covers—and I’m still mending them today.

“I still enjoy training the horses and while I had a good run with Phil Iggo a few years back, the last few years have certainly provided a great deal excitement for the family and I,” she said.

While Branch wont be on track to enjoy the $40,000 feature, she hopes to be long finished with her work commitments and perched somewhere comfortable to see her pride and joy put his best foot forward.

“I hope I’m home from Te Rapa in time to watch the races on Friday night under the lights, which I thoroughly enjoy,” she said.

For complete Alexandra Park fields, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink