Caldwell lands Bendigo boilover with a ‘freebie’

The past 12 months have been the most rewarding of Neil Caldwell’s long involvement in harness racing – and a boilover win with a ‘gift horse’ on Wednesday night (April 22) at Bendigo added another chapter.

The 74-year-old Merrigum hobby trainer-driver produced the surprise result with rank outsider Saint Eyes ($41) in the Stoneman’s IGA Trot, continuing a run that has delivered the veteran horseman his best patch in the sport.

“He’s always showed a bit of ability, but I wasn’t confident to go saying he could win – I thought he might be able to run a place,” Caldwell said.

The six-year-old trotter, having his first season with Caldwell after joining the stable last year, settled three back on the fence before enjoying a dream run in the final stages.

When the gaps appeared approaching the 400-metre mark, Caldwell eased to the outside and Saint Eyes let down strongly, trotting confidently three-wide to score.

Saint Eyes was previously raced by the late Shepparton couple Bryan and Lorraine Johnstone. Lorraine’s son Steve Duffy offered the horse to Caldwell when he was looking for a new home for the lightly-raced gelding.

“Steve asked me if I knew anyone who wanted a trotter – and I think he got me at a weak moment, because that’s a tempting offer for someone who loves trotters! I think he might have seen me coming,” Caldwell laughed.

“He thought the horse had ability, but he didn’t have anyone to take him and he gave him to me.  I’ve had him since August but he’d been out for a long time, so I just pottered around with him and gave him plenty of time.”

Caldwell keeps things simple with a small team of just two – “probably one too many,” – but stablemate Madge Egan provided three wins last season.

“I won three with (pacer) Metrocom in the early 2000s, but then I didn’t win a race for 20 years until Madge won last year,” he said.

“I usually only muck around with one, but the trouble is if it turns out no good, you’re back to square one starting all over again.”

A former dairy farmer, Caldwell is now retired and focussed on his horses. Saint Eyes was his seventh training win and his 17^th as a driver.

“I like horses and they keep me out of the pub and keep me thinking!” he joked.

“I used to drive for Ben Madill from Tongala – he was in his 80s when he was still training and shoeing his horses Dynamic Reign and Dynamic Storm and I’d drive them. We got a few winners together with those two but they’re the only other winners I’ve driven,” he said.

“It was actually Ben that got me into trotters. Back in the old days I never had them, but when I started driving for Ben, my first win in a registered meeting was at Gunbower and we won by 20 metres – she paid $60.

“I do love training, but I don’t know whether I’ll still be in it when I give up driving – I’m nowhere near as good as the other blokes out there, but if I get a lucky break I can go okay.

“I had to watch Damo (Damian Wilson) drive Saint Eyes at Shepparton a while back, because it was a metropolitan meeting and I only have a B-Grade driver’s licence – but I found that sitting on the bench I was a bit stressed!

“I was confident in ‘Willo’, but not so confident in the horse.”

Caldwell enjoyed the latest win with honorary strapper Monique Pell, who works her horses at the Kyabram track, where Caldwell does his fastwork.

“Monique volunteered to come and give me a hand, because they were in one race after another,” he said.

“It was great that she came down with me and Monique was as happy as I was, I think, when we got the win!”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink