Unlikely comeback for former age group harness racing star

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk

One of trotting’s high achievers is back.

Enghien, a 15 race winner from just 29 starts, is heading to the trials at Rangiora on Wednesday afternoon, nearly two and a half years since he last raced.

The Love You eight-year-old’s last race day appearance was at Addington in October 2019.

He’s been sidelined with a leg injury ever since, and to all intents and purposes was retired in 2020.

“He had a lesion in a suspensory,” says co-owner and trainer Greg Hope, “so it’s been a long slow process.”

Enghien spent months “tearing around a paddock” at Springfield about an hour’s drive from Christchurch.

“But in the last six months we have been working him up, on the track as well as the beach so we can give him one more go”.

In 2017 he was 3YO Trotter of the Year after winning eight in a row.

At his peak he had a Rating 110. He’ll return as a R85.

“If he can’t compete at that level we will finish with him,” says Hope who trains the horse in partnership with wife Nina.

Provided he gets through his trial and continues to show progress Enghien could make a most unlikely return to the races next month.

“We are hopeful rather than confident.”