Higgins 'plays' on a hunch and lands a deserved win

Elmore harness racing hobby trainer Matt Higgins is enjoying a well-earned moment in the spotlight after a breakthrough win with his much-loved trotting mare Playa Del Carmen (Im Stately).

Higgins, who prepares only a small team, finally struck gold at Maryborough this week when the eight-year-old daughter of Im Stately delivered a deserved victory after a run of consistent form.

“She’s come close for me a few times and I thought she would be right in it with any luck,” Higgins said.

Sent forward from barrier two by ace reinsman James Herbertson, Playa Del Carmen showed plenty of grit, fighting hard to score by half a neck in the McPherson Print Group event.

The win was no fluke, with the mare putting together a string of recent placings at Bendigo and Kilmore.

“She has really hit a purple patch. But what did surprise me was her time of 2.00-9 in winning – that was a personal best for her,” he said.

Higgins said the key to the mare’s turnaround had been a focus on her temperament, with plenty of trial and error along the way.

“I’ve done a lot of experimenting with her regarding different training methods because she gets very nervous and anxious at the races,” he said.

“I thought I may have been winning because she’s been coping with it much better at home. She is far more relaxed.

“For the past few months, I’ve been keeping things very regimented. Everything is the same these days and it seems to be clicking.

“It’s tricky when the nerves get the better of them. But I like her a lot – she’s always keen to please one thousand percent, although her overall form might not show that.”

Despite the rise in class that comes with the win, Higgins said the result had brought immense satisfaction.

“When they go all right, it’s a nice return for all your efforts,” he said.

“My farrier Ray Sutton has been a big help in trying to find what best works for her. He’s been great.”

Higgins trains from a small property owned by his stepfather Neville Welsh – one of Victorian harness racing’s most respected horsemen, who was recognised with the sport’s highest honour, the Gordon Rothacker Medal, in 2012. He enjoyed a remarkable career, driving winners across seven decades from the 1950s onwards, including many feature successes, such as the 1971 AG Hunter Cup.

“He’s still going okay and if I’ve got an issue, he’s only too happy to help out,” Higgins said.

Based at Elmore since 1992, Higgins said Playa Del Carmen was sent from South Australia to take advantage of her VicBred bonus eligibility.

SA horseman Greg Rogers raced her as a two-year-old and had early success, including a win at Globe Derby Park in November, 2020.

Higgins, who has trained 22 winners, has had just six drives in the past five seasons, with his most recent victory in the sulky coming aboard Calaquendi at Charlton on May 17, 2017. He admits he misses driving, but these days he is happy to leave it to the professionals.

“You’ve got to be realistic because Chris (Alford) and James (Herbertson) who have been driving the horse recently, are very good at it and considerably lighter than me,” he laughed.

Playa Del Carmen is set to line up at Bendigo next Wednesday night.  See all fields for the 10-race Bendigo program here: https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=BN080426

 

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink