Tact McLeod makes statement at headquarters

Despite having been domiciled at the Burnham barn of Canterbury trainer Mark Jones for some time now, Southland pacer Tact McLeod (Sweet Lou) would have felt right at home on a cold and wet winter night at Addington Raceway.

The five-year-old gelding was having his first start in six weeks after suffering a minor setback in April which forced the big striding son of Sweet Lou to miss the Country Cups Final.

The lightly tried pacer is highly thought of by connections and those who have done anything with him. Evidenced by their decision to line Tact McLeod up in a G1 Invercargill Cup at just his sixth race day start.

There were no American Me’s or Self Assured’s in sight for the resuming run, with the only real concern as to how Tact McLeod would fare from the standing start tapes having made a few blues in his most recent attempts.

When the tapes were released, John Morrison had the punters elect away brilliantly making light work of his ten meter handicap to lead after 300m and from there, the pair led their five race night rivals a merry dance. When Morrison pulled the plugs at the top of the straight, the rising star put pay to them in a few short strides and from there was never forced to do anymore then a few light shakes of the reins.

“I thought tonight he would probably be ok because there were no ten meter tapes,” said his pilot John Morrison.

“He got a bit of a fright there not long ago when one of the tapes hit him and he has always shied at them since. That will do his confidence the world of good,” he quipped.

TACT MCLEOD REPLAY

“The key tonight was him stepping,” said his G1 winning trainer, Trevor Proctor.

“I didn’t see it on the camera but he obviously stepped very very well. A lot of that credit goes to Mark Jones. He has been up here with him for a while and he missed the Country Cups with a silly little injury, but his first start back was superb.

“It was good for us, wet conditions and great start and Johnny done the rest. He’s going to have a wee spell and set him for the bigger races maybe. Obviously he will have to continue to improve but he is a smart pacer,” he said.

Tact McLeod jogged the 2600m distance in a time of 3:17 with the incredibly slick closing splits of of 55.8 and 26.4 indicative of a smart animal when you factor in the cool conditions and slushy track.

Proctor knows a thing or two about good horses having trained G1 winning mare Tact Lizzie (Christian Cullen), winner of the 2010 NZ Breeders Stakes on the same track as tonight’s success.

The progressive pacer has the Winton horseman and his wife Diane Dynes more than a little bit excited, and rightly so.

“I think he could be potentially the best horse we’ve had. He’s a wee bit like Tact Lizzie in the sense that he has that big stride and he just covers the ground so easy and has a bit of bottom to him,” he said.

For complete Addington race results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink