 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2005
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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| Michael Taranto & Bruce Hutton |
Taranto hails from Hallam in Central Melbourne, where he manages the aluminium company Seelite Windows & Doors. He started the business with his father Vin in the early 1980's, and then took over the reins himself when Vin retired nine years ago. "It's booming," Taranto said, proudly. "There were three of us when it started, and now we employ fifty people. It's the sort of job which gives me the time and money to get involved in harness racing."
Taranto's dedication to his work almost cost him the chance to even be on-course at Addington last Friday. He was booked on a 9:00am flight that morning but had to re-schedule, even though he had been at the office since 3:00am. "Being the end of the month I had to finish all the invoicing and get everthing done before I flew out. It soon became clear that I wasn't going to make my flight though, and I was lucky enough to be able to change my ticket and finally get on a plane at eleven."
Taranto arrived at Christchurch just hours before Rhythm Of The Night's event, and the Sundon gelding that he races in partnership with trainer Bruce Hutton made the hectic rush all worthwhile by showing great tenacity to wear down the pacemaking Power In Motion near the line. "I'm a walking billboard for the New Zealand breeding industry, believe me," Taranto said afterwards. "The quality of your stock at the yearling sales here is far superior to anything back home. Plus, you have got such lush paddocks; we have had no rain in Melbourne for three years - we have to install tanks and pump the water in, that is very hard on young horses."
Taranto met Hutton a couple of years ago when buying 'tried' horses, and their friendship has grown to the point today where he has now got eight or nine in-foal mares and another dozen or more yearlings and racehorses stabled at Hutton's property. The numbers are similar back home in Melbourne, where his horese are all trained by Matthew Garth. "You couldn't find a more hard-working or honest toiler," Taranto said, praising Hutton. "He may not have the same flamboyance as other trainers, but as a horseman he will do me every time. My involvement in horses is still pretty much in it's infancy, but this is what we do it for.
Taranto is also involved in the administration of harness racing as well, being Vice-President of the Cranbourne HRC, Chairman of the Breeders' Crown committee, and a member of Harness Racing Victoria's stategic planning committee for 'V3'.
Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 6Apr05