Smokin Bandar on his best behaviour

Smokin Bandar was on his best behaviour at Winton today when he stepped and cleared up a good harness racing field of intermediate trotters.

The Monkey Bones grey hasn’t been super dependable from a standing start, but today in the hands of junior driver Mark Hurrell he stepped away nicely from the twenty-metre mark, got up in front and won easily.

Smokin Bandar warming up (Bruce Stewart Photo)

“If he trots (away) he’s normally pretty safe after that. You cross your fingers every time. It was an easy enough watch once he got away,” said trainer Craig Ferguson who was watching from the stand.

The winning margin was a length and a half from another son of Monkey Bones, Count Eyre, with a further half a length back to Dominion Handicap aspirant Andy Hall who was having his first start in five months.

Smokin Bandar beating Count Eyre (Bruce Stewart Photo)

It was the five-year-old’s twentieth start and sixth win for his breeder Tom Kilkelly, wife Julie and other members of their family.

Winning connections  (Bruce Stewart Photo)

Smokin Bandar was made favourite after an impressive win at last Sunday’s Wyndham Workout, and it was his first start since he last raced at Invercargill in May.

“He seems to go better fresh. We didn’t do too much with him after his workout. We mix his work up a bit with a bit of swimming and work on the track. He seems to have matured a bit this time in.”

View the Wairio results click here.

by Bruce Stewart