He Aint Fakin faces mammoth 50m challenge

The 50m back mark He Aint Fakin (Art Major) faces at Ascot Park this week is the last thing Phil Williamson is worrying about.

Training horses in Oamaru hasn’t been easy recently even for a master trotting trainer, with torrential rain and flooding hitting the North Otago region.

While winning on Sunday is clearly the aim, Williamson’s immediate focus is on the weather.

“It has been very wet and we haven’t been able to do too much so far this week.”

“The rain is meant to ease off in the next day or two according to the forecast, so we hope they are right.”

“The horses are all rugged up and happy and warm, so that is the main thing.”

He Aint Fakin must take on his 50m handicap on Sunday to be eligible to start in the Winter Rewards Finals at Winton later this month.

Any 50m handicap in any race is considered a massive challenge for any horse, regardless of their class.

But there is clear evidence that that mark over 2700m at Ascot Park is not insurmountable.

The last trotter to do it was Tweedledee back in 2022.

In the 2010s, Dark Horse did it twice, The Fiery Ginga won twice off 60m and Williamson’s own Pyramid Magic also scored off 50m.

Back in 1992, the Johnny Henderson trained and driven Le Duc even won off 90m over 2700m at Ascot Park.

While not one to overstate his horses’ chances of winning, Williamson knows He Aint Fakin has the class to overcome the big mark.

“It is a tough ask, but we can’t do much about it so there is no point worrying about it.”

“He is definitely the best horse in the race, so if he can stay trotting he will give it a good nudge.”

He Aint Fakin will be freshened after the Winter Rewards Finals, before he is aimed at feature trotting races in the spring.

Williamson has campaigned the trotter through the winter to build up his ringcraft before he takes on top-tier opposition.

While he has made some mistakes, so far He Aint Fakin has been more good than bad.

“I could have turned him out, but he’d only had about 12 trotting starts before winter.”

“If he is going to go in the better races, which I think he is up to, he is going to need the ringcraft.”

“So we have given him these starts and hopefully it will pay off.”

“I do think he is good enough, he has got a lot of ability.”

“And he has high speed, he probably hasn’t been able to show that as much in his races lately but it is there.”

He Aint Fakin clashes with his stablemate Harriet’s Moment who looks one of his biggest threats on Sunday.

The mare reverts to standing start racing after two strong second placings behind the mobile.

by Jonny Turner