First starter Razor Rascal nailed a debut win at the harness racing meeting at Cromwell on Wednesday.

The five year old gelding by Ohoka Arizona trailed early behind Blue For You which began to stop before the home turn holding Razor Rascal up as others were improving around the outside.

Driver Rory Mcllwrick steered the gelding a path through the middle and then ran down the inside getting up by a half a length to beat Fiery Ferret.
 
“That horse (Blue For You) had trialled up well and I thought it was the right one to follow but it hardly got me to the 1200 mark of the 1800 race."

"Things opened up and I wasn’t sure we’d get to the leaders but he just got quicker and quicker."

"He had a good attitude and kept lifting,” said McIlwrick. 
 
Owned by Murray and Marion Herman, Razor Rascal qualified for Tony Barron at Ascot Park in October but has been with Amber Hoffman since.
  
“He was a funny horse when he first arrived."

"We didn’t think too much of him."

"I played around with him and we didn’t get on."

"He actually kicked me out of the cart."

"Then Amber started to ride him and got him happy."

"When he left here (to go to the Central circuit) we thought he was pretty much right from his heart rate readings so I just kept him happy when he was here.”
  
He’s out of the Man Around Town mare Royal Rascal which won five races for Bruce Negus and Craig Parsons including four in a row in December and January 2004. She won at Wairio, Winton, Omakau and Invercargill.

As a broodmare Royal Rascal has an excellent record leaving tough durable horses like Fiery Rascal (7 wins), Racy Rascal (2 Australian wins), Twilight Rascal (9 wins) and Skippy Rascal (6 New Zealand wins and 4 Australian wins).

Royal Rascal is a half sister to Jagged Account (9 wins) and Royal Courage (10 wins).

Hoffman started her career with Graeme Anderson in the 2010 season.

She recorded 99 wins with Anderson. In partnership with Jonny Cox she posted a further 52 wins (2014-2015) and since training on her own account she has recorded seventeen wins.

The win was the 60th for driver Rory Mcllwrick.

However it was bitter sweet for McIlwrick as later in the day he was suspended for allowing his horse The Black in Race Ten to strike the wheel of Double Rainbow on a number of occasions.

This suspension comes on the back of a careless driving charge at Omakau. The concurrent periods mean that he won't be back driving until January 26th.

Bruce Stewart   –   Southland Harness Racing