Leap of faith lands trotting triumph

When Victorian harness racing trainer Jamie Egan went searching for another horse, it was his wife Bek who spotted one advertised at a bargain price.

There was just one catch.

“Bek was at work and sent me a text message about a horse, but when I looked it up, I found out it was a trotter,” Egan said.

“I’ve only ever had pacers, so I told Bek that I knew nothing about trotters – but we talked about it the next day and in the end we decided to give it a try.”

And that decision paid off quickly for the couple based at Arcadia South, near Shepparton.

Their new recruit, six-year-old mare Faith Full (Majestic Son), delivered a stylish win at just her third start for the stable in the Heenan’s Newsagency/GBL Properties feature at Charlton on June 2.

“But I must admit that when she galloped early days in a trial, I did ask myself what had I done!” Egan laughed.

“She ran third for us at her first start, then galloped on the home corner at her next run. Connor Clarke drove her at Charlton, and I just told him to keep her on the bridle and he drove her perfectly.  Being the first trotter I’ve ever trained it was a bit special,” he said.

Faith Full was sent out favorite at Charlton and settled behind the leader The Night Queen.  Faith Full unleashed a sharp sprint when Clarke pulled her out on the home corner, going on to win by three metres from Col Du Granon, with The Night Queen a further five metres away in third.

Watch the replay here:

“Cam Maggs helped me out at the trials and drove her in her first two starts. He’s been really terrific, but couldn’t make it to Charlton,” he said.

“We live 15 minutes from the Shepparton track so we fastwork in there, and we’ve been very happy with her work. And we’ve got a really good muscle man in Peter Smith at Euroa, who’s been working on her back.”

The Egans had been looking for a new horse after making the tough call to retire Harley Blue, a consistent daughter of Badlands Hanover, after her last-start win at Bendigo.

“Her tendon didn’t look real good after the Bendigo win (when driven by James Herbertson) so we decided virtually straight away to retire her,” Egan said.

Jamie and Bek are part of a rare racing trifecta — they’re involved in all three racing codes. Bek holds a thoroughbred trainer’s licence, and together they also train greyhounds.

“I’ve got two horses in work, the other being a two-year-old pacer. Bek has two gallopers in work and the greyhounds have been on fire with four wins from their last six starts,” he said.

And while his new journey has only just begun, Egan admits he’s developed a soft spot for the trotters.

“I’m half hooked on the square gaiters, so I suppose you never know…”

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink

Trotting mare Faith Full gave trainer Jamie Egan his first-ever square-gaiting success. Pictured with winning driver Connor Clarke. (Photograph: VSTA)