Trotting master lines up rare pacer at Addington

New Zealand’s trotting master is looking to add another string to his bow at Addington tonight.

Paul Nairn, the most feared harness racing trainer of trotters in the country, will debut his two-year-old pacer Lookin Snazzy (Bettors Delight) in Race 7.

Nairn has trained 425 winners in New Zealand since lining up his very first horse in 1983 and 423 of those wins have been in trotting races.

Even his two career pacing wins both came with a trotter, with Outamyway being dual-gaited and winning two races as a pacer on the West Coast in between winning two Harness Million Trots.

“The first horse I ever started back in 1983 was actually a pacer and I have had a couple since,” says Nairn.

“I had a couple of owners keen to get a pacer and I went to Dancingonmoonlight to look at a yearling last year and I saw this horse in the paddock.

“He was a bit small back then and had been passed in at the sales but I liked him and I rang Bob Butt and he told me it was a good family so we bought him.”

Lookin Snazzy has grown a bit since, not much, but showed he has ability when coming from last in a four-horse field to down subsequent Addington winner Special Occasion on February 5.

“He is a lovely little horse,” says Nairn.

“I wouldn’t mind having a few more pacers if they are like him.”

The son of Bettors Delight is being thrown in the deep end against juveniles from Team Telfer, the Purdon and Steven Reid but Nairn says his job is not much different from taking a baby trotter to the races for the first time.

“I think we are all in the same boat, we all hope we have a nice horse and we will find out.”

Nairn has his more traditional hand in the $30,000 Bob Rochford Memorial Seddon Districts Trot, with Tu Tangata and Masterly facing very different challenges.

Tu Tangata starts on the front line and Nairn suggests he has been luckless lately, although that has also seemed the theme of Tu Tangata’s life.

“If he can get away a bit quicker that will be a big help because he can be a bit sluggish early,” he told HRNZ.

“Masterly has been going good races up against the very best trotters and he ran on well last start without having much luck either.

“It is a big ask off the 30m handicap but only having 11 in the field should help him.”

Earlier in the night Lakelsa returns after her last-start Group 1 success in the NZ Breeders when she takes on the boys in a slippery little 1980m race which could see them run some quick sectionals.

To see Addington fields for Friday night click here 

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand