Jerry Garcia will be back in familiar surroundings to begin a new career as a trotter at the Waimate meeting at Oamaru on Sunday.
“He (Jerry Garcia) trotted all the way to win a trial on the grass at Orari (March 4) so we have decided to press on,’’ said Leo O’Reilly, his Rakaia trainer.
Jerry Garcia qualified as a trotter at Methven on February 11 when he won his 2400m test by 13 lengths in 3.18.6, 9.4sec inside the required time.
O’Reilly’s brother, Kerry, who drove Strietross to major success at both gaits, is farrier for Jerry Garcia.
“We have changed his shoes three times with different weights to get him trotting,’’ said Leo.
Jerry Garcia gained four of his nine wins as a pacer at Oamaru, albeit on the all-weather track. His brace included the 2015 Kurow Cup. He is racing on grass on Sunday but he has proved equally capable on that surface with wins at Motukarara (twice), Orari, Waikouaiti and Waimate.
The Jereme’s Jet – Smooth Leyenda gelding, now a 7-year-old, had his first win in April, 2012 at Motukarara. He won at Waimate the same year.
The Waimate Trotting Club has been back racing at Oamaru the past two years after storm damage ruled out racing on their home track.
Kerry drove Strietross in 18 of his 20 wins. The Macatross gelding, trained by part-owner, Hopa MacDonald won nine races as a pacer including the 1992 Wellington Cup at Hutt Park and Ashburton Cup.
He was switched to trotting as a 6-year-old and added another 11 wins, including the 1993 Dunedin Trotting Cup and 1996 Ordeal Cup at Addington.
Leon converted Golden Cee to trotting as a rising 6-year-old in 2002 after the Chiola Hanover had won four races as a pacer. Golden Cee won twice as a square gaiter.
Playboy Prince enhanced his prospects for the Waimate meeting with a trial win at Oamaru on Wednesday.
Playboy Prince is now owned and trained at Oamaru by Eion Latimer. The 5-year-old Christian Cullen gelding has been minor placed in three of his five starts for Winton trainer Allan Beck.
Bruce Young has been appointed judge for the Forbury Park Trotting Club for the season beginning August 1.
He will be the successor to Ken Dempster, who is retiring after 35 years in the position and five years as assistant judge.
Young, a Gore real estate agent, is judge to harness racing clubs in Southland covering 36 meetings. He has held that position since the 1996-97 season, some of the time in a sharing capacity with Brendon Burke. He was previously assistant judge for six seasons with Craig Todd.
Living Legend has his first start from the Burnham stable of Bruce Negus at Oamaru on Sunday.
The 6–year-old is now in the ownership of Mike Stratford. Living Legend won four races for the Westview No 13 syndicate when trained by Robert Dunn.
Moa Bones is back in the Roxburgh stable of Geoff and Jude Knight. The 7-yr-old mare has gained two of her four wins from the Knight stable.
She won for Tahakopa trainer Brian Norman at Ascot Park in January after a change of ownership two months earlier. Moa Bones had her maiden win when trained by Ben Waldron.
Buster Brady has been scratched from his engagement at Addington on Friday night after feeling the effects of a trip to Invercargill last weekend when he finished sixth in the Northern Southland Cup.
“He didn’t eat up and is just not 100 per cent. I am getting a blood test,’’ said Kyle Austin, his Christchurch trainer.
Motu Premier, the lone representative at the meeting for trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen and back marker on 40m, stands out in the Waimate Cup.
He won the Cheviot Cup at Addington in a swift 3.11.7 for 2600m at his last start and the Hororata Cup on grass at Methven at his previous start.
Boomer Bailey, winner of the Waikouaiti Cup on grass last month, is an Oamaru specialist with five wins there, two on grass. Culley Backy indicated he has trained on since his win at Addington on February 23 with a workout win at Motukarara last Saturday.
Tayler Strong
