The Brett Gray trained harness racing mare Takeitout (Captaintreacherous) took out the third heat of the Vetsouth Equine Southern Belle Series on the grass at Gore today (Feb. 18).
The four year old mare sat parked for the majority of the 1750 metre trip, proved too strong for grass track specialist Insarchatwist, (A Rocknroll Dance) and won by half a length.
āRacing against the likes of Millwood Nike really improved her manners. Her brains got better and sheās gone to another level. Sheās just starting to settle and become a horse, and itās making life easier on us at home,ā Gray said.
Gray added that he wasnāt worried about Takeitout sitting parked.
āSheās done a bit of that and seems to relax good.ā
And he said the Wayne Pope owned mare will look to race in another heat of the series before targeting the final in Winton.
Pope commented āSheās right up there with the mares Iāve bred. Sheās got a lot of speed and her manners are slowly coming right. She wasnāt the easiest horse to break in. Sheād nail you if you got too close.ā
Takeitout is out of the Elsu mare Whiteout which from just two starts had a win and a second placing.
āAll her progeny have had joint problems but luckily sheās the one with the best conformation.ā
Pope is retired but still heavily involved in harness racing and he helps Gray out on hopple days.
āIāve been retired for three years and enjoying it. I play bowls.ā
by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink