Williamson wins with project horse

Owner Charlie Smaill credited junior harness racing driver Tristan Larsen with helping to shape Winton maiden winner Jaccka Opa (A Rocknroll Dance).

Larsen works for Ryal Bush trainer Brett Gray who trains Jaccka Opa for Charlie and his wife Alisa.

“He seems to be a lot more settled, and I’ve got to give a lot of the credit to Tristan. Brett gave him this project and he’s been doing everything with him. The horse put in a few rough steps last time so that’s why we put Nathan (Williamson) on this time to have a good look at the horse. I noticed when the horse when out that he was a lot more settled than he has been before,” Smaill said.

In today’s (May 26) win at the Riverton Trotting Club meeting at Central Southland Raceway Williamson settled Jaccka Opa third early, before taking the four year old to the lead with a lap to run.

After being softened up by roughie Teddy Baker, Jaccka Opa was driven out to win by a length and a quarter from Teddy Baker with Foxfire Easton three quarters of a length back in third.

JACCKA OPA REPLAY

Jaccka Opa is by A Rocknroll Dance out of the Washington VC mare Odette Jaccka.

“I wasn’t too impressed with her when she was born as she was a runt of a foal, but she kept on growing and won five races.”

Odette Jaccka’s next foal is a two year old filly by Vincent.

“When I was breaking her in, I didn’t like her much either.  But after another month I started to like her.”

Smaill who set up Jaccka Lodge (now Macca Lodge) held a trainers licence for a number of years. His habit was to jog up many of the horses he bred before sending them on to other trainers. However he’s taken a step back.

“I lost a staff member I’d had for about eight years, and it coincided with me getting a bit older, and driving the horses was getting a bit hard on the body. So now they’re going out to Shane Matheson to be pre-trained and I’m just feeding all the foals now.”

Meanwhile the biggest upset of the day came when the Hamish Hunter trained Fireforfiddle (He’s Watching) stormed down the outside of the track to win at odds of 36 to 1. The five year old was driven from the outside of the barrier over a mile by Tom Nally.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart