Southern eyes on The Janitor in Interdom heat

Many in the deep south of New Zealand will have their eyes on among others, The Janitor (Always B Miki) at Albion Park on Saturday night.

The gelding who is named after former All Black halfback Brad Weber is looking to gain points and qualify for next weekend’s $1,000,000 ID26 Pacing Championship Grand Final.

The five year old was bred and qualified in Southland before he was sold to Chris Whiteoak and placed in the care of Brisbane trainer Chantal Turpin.

The Janitor was bred by the late Lester Smith and was initially owned by Michael Allardice and Brad Weber, two Chiefs rugby players. Allardice is married to Smith’s daughter Jana.

“Michael, Dad and I were having a BBQ one day. Weka Lass was in foal and we managed to convince Michael to have a go, and he brought Brad in. I’m not sure whether any money changed hands,” Lester’s son Matt Smith told me.

The foal was born in October 2020. The story goes that the gelding was named The Janitor after Weber.

Brad’s nickname at the Chiefs was ‘The Janitor’ because like all good halfbacks, he was always clearing up other people’s messes on the field.

Early education with the gelding was carried out by Winton trainer Lauren Pearson and her partner Brent Barclay.

The Janitor had two workouts for Pearson before he qualified at Winton in November 2023.

Allardice and Weber who were playing rugby in Japan at that stage, decided to sell him as they were unlikely to see him race. So a deal was done.

Since he’s been at Australia the gelding has won twenty races and over $600,000 but is yet to win a Group One feature.

He’s finished second to Leap To Fame in the Miracle Mile, third behind Don Hugo and Leap To Fame in the Black A Fake and second to Fate Awaits in the Rising Sun.

The Janitor is out of Weka Lass, a six win Badlands Hanover daughter of Oaxaca Lass. Oaxaca Lass won nineteen races. In New Zealand she won the Sires’ Stakes Fillies Championship, the Southland Oaks, and the New Zealand Premier Mares Championship, while in Australia her wins included the Queensland Derby, the Australian Oaks and the Chariot Of Fire.

Allardice and Weber are still playing rugby in Japan. Allardice currently plays for the Black Rams while Weber is contracted to the Sagamihara DynaBoars.

Although Weka Lass is not around any more, the Smith family have a full-brother to The Janitor named Sent.

“He’s at Amber Hoffman’s on the beach. We’ve got him to the races and he’s had two preps since and just gone lame. That’s why we’ve got him at Amber’s, to get him up nice and gently.”

Weka Lass’s final foal is a filly by Lazarus named I Remember.

“My mother and I have a half share each. Mum named her. She’s currently at Diane Cournane’s in the paddock. They like her, she’s a nice going thing which is good.”

Lester Smith has bred and raced a host of good horses including First Glimpse, Atitagain, Duke Of Wellington and Duke Of Cornwell.

“Dad always said Atitagain was his best horse but this one’s pretty good. I was talking to him one day and he said he just couldn’t afford to be racing him (Atitagain) at the high level and having to go over to Aussie. He got a good offer at the time (from The Dominator Syndicate), and he decided to let him go.”

Atitagain won four races for Invercargill trainer Wayne Adams before he headed to Australia where he carved out a stellar career, winning a further twenty four races and earning over $780,000. His biggest win was in the G1 Australian Pacing Championship. He also ran second to Yulestar in the 2001 Interdominion Pacing Championship Final.

The Australian Pacing Championship and Interdominion Pacing Championship Final were both at Albion Park, so the Smith family have a good record at the venue.

No doubt Matt who is an agricultural contractor and cherry orchard owner in Cromwell and his mother Julia will be glued to the tele on Saturday night, hoping The Janitor can overcome a ‘messy’ draw and make it through to the big dance.

“I don’t miss any of them (The Janitors races).”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink

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