| HORSES |
YEAR: 2018
The pride in Joshua Dickie’s voice told the entire story - a story that could have panned out in a thousand different ways.
The young horseman knows better than anyone just how much of an effort it’s been to get back to the track with his old favourite Speeding Spur, let alone to be winning a Group 1 like he did on Friday night when claiming the Fred Shaw Memorial New Zealand Trotting Championship at Addington.
It’s been a patient and herculean effort by Dickie and his father, John who have, along with the experts, nursed their star performer back from near retirement on two occasions, each time not knowing if it would be the last time.
“I don’t think I can do him justice,” Dickie said.
“He’s broken down twice, in theory he shouldn’t be racing but here he is not only competing in, but also winning, Group Ones.
“He really is an incredible horse.”
Dickie said there were times when they wondered if it was all too much, but they let the horse tell them each time whether or not he wanted to be back on the track and such is the will to win that he’s made his way back each time.
And for his loyal band of owners, the Woodlands Partnership Syndicate, Kieran Read, Andy Ellis, Dick Tayler and Dave Hewett, Friday night’s win was just reward for patience and royalty.
And perhaps, just perhaps - there’s more to come.
“You don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself, but he’s back racing and good at the moment, so hopefully he can continue it.
“I think a lot of people just expected him to come back and be the same horse he was before things started going wrong.
“But he’s never going to be that same horse, but he showed tonight that he’s still a very good horse.
“His will to win is incredible, he just kept fighting all the way to the line.”
Auckland beckons next for the Speeding Spur camp and Dickie is looking forward to hopefully being able to drive him a little different in races like the Anzac Cup and then the Rowe Cup.
“I’d love to drive him with a sit - he’s still got the speed - but the way things have panned out it just hasn’t been possible.”
With $53,000 added to his lifetime stakes from 20 wins, Speeding Spur now sits just below $800,000 in stake earnings with $250,000 worth of kitty to chase at Auckland.
The victory on Friday wasn’t without drama.
Enghien galloped out of the gate, but then looped the field and looked set to stroll to the lead inside the final 150 metres before going rough in his gait.
It most likely cost him victory in what would have been an incredible performance, but there was no taking anything away from Speeding Spur.
“I don’t know if he was going to beat me, or I was going to beat him,” Dickie said.
“I just know my guy would have kept fighting.”
Destiny Jones emerged out of the pack to run a huge third continuing her great rise for Blenheim’s Dean Hunter.
Credit: NZ Harness News, April 2018
YEAR: 2017
Greg Hope made a scary confession in the wake of Enghien’s New Zealand Trotting Derby on Friday night.
Not long after his rising star had dealt to his rivals in the $80,000 feature the Woodend Beach trainer, who trains with his wife Nina, was already pondering his next step with the dour son of Love You and that’s Auckland.
A lot of trainers might feel hesitation about the prospect of heading North to race a new way around, but Hope was buoyant about the prospect.
“He’s actually better trotting the Auckland way around,” Hope added.
“So I’m looking forward to getting him up there, he’s going from strength to strength at the moment.”
A second line draw and a sweeping move around the field weren’t enough to stop Enghien.
He went to war with the pace-making Musculus and also northern raider, Heavyweight Hero from almost the 800 metre mark and although his winning margin wasn’t huge, it was authoritative.
“I think he could have won by a lot more if I had asked him too,” driver Ricky May said.
By winning, Enghien secured bragging rights over his high-class stable mate, Monbet.
For all his subsequent success, Monbet was unable to win a Group One as a three-year-old, bowing to Speeding Spur on more than one occasion.
Enghien is raced by Hope and long-time stable supporter, Richard Delleca.
They purchased him as a yearling from the yearling sales from stock offered by the late Carl Middleton.
Middleton’s wife, Heather, was on track to witness the success on Friday night and Hope said it was great for her to be there.
“It’s a wonderful breed, Carl’s breed,” Hope said.
“And Heather being here to see this horse is great, she’s actually taken a share in the yearling we purchased at the sales from Another Love which is great too.”
Credit: Matt Markham writing on Harnesslink, April 2017