| FEATURE RACE COMMENT |
YEAR: 2000
 |
An advertisement in the 'Weekly' has given Russell Beardsley, Colin Hay and Bill Eggleton seats they never thought they would have. In the area that says 'Owners Only' that is where they will be. It will be Cup Day at Addington, the race will be the Canterbury Draught NZ Cup, and the three old rugby mates from the Pioneer club in Gore will be there as a result of that $30 spend.
Some time before that they had met Ashburton trainer Laurence Hanrahan, and they had asked Hanrahan to find them a horse. The three of them had been in and out of horses since forming a syndicate with other Pioneer boys in 1976, and by the time they got to Hanrahan, seven had dropped out. Two of them had been in banks and Hay was in the construction business. Beardsley was in Ashburton after achieving his aim of retiring when he was 50.
In any event, Hanrahan found them a gelding by Oblivion II which obviously had some extra appeal as he was by the same sire as Hanrahan's flagship horse, New Age Man, who was unbeaten in 13 starts, and said they should "give it a go." This was little more than two years ago, and when The Tough Nut ran 2400m in 3:01 and a half in 56 before he qualified they knew they were on to something. Other than a slight hitch in his form a year ago, The Tough Nut has handled every class with comfort. Last November, The Tough Nut started a winning sequence of eight, and the partners recall Hanrahan telling them: "I have changed his feed, his work and his gear; something has worked but I'm not sure what and I'm not changing."
He has now raced just 30 times and won 14, the latest at Addington last Friday night when he accounted for Ouch and six Cup nominees in the 1950m Nobilo Wines. He trailed Happy Asset, who left the gate at speed and led as he has done before over this trip, and Kym's Girl was behind and Ouch was further back with Annie's Boy. The Tough Nut was the first danger to Happy Asset and gradually got the better of him. Wider out, Ouch - who has since been treated for a corn problem - got cracking late and finished strongly to grab second a nose back. Kym's Girl was third, looking unlucky, but again putting herself in the frame for a prize of some note over Cup Week. The time is running out for Ouch who has three more chances to qualify for the Cup, but it appears up to the challenge. OK Oskar, who was sent to the outside of the gate, Tartan Lady and Seafield Raider have some form to find.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18Oct00