Still going strong

Liza Milina can see no reason why Moment Of Truth will not line up as a 14-year-old next season. She said he could even have his 200th start in 2016-2017.



“Mentally and physically he’s as good as when I got him two years ago. He loves going fast. He’s happiest when he can go flat out. He really loves his beach training and racing,” owner-trainer Milina said.



Does he what! 



The Sundon gelding, who was born on October 15, 2002, won his 28th race when having his 176th start in Sunday’s $7,000 Thames Jockey Club C2-C5 Claiming Pace at Alexandra Park.



Moment Of Truth (10m) and driver Peter Ferguson trotted the 2700m standing start event in 3:29.9 (mile rate 2:05) with final 800m and 400m sectionals of 60.3 and 29.6. He was the $5.60 second favourite in the nine-horse field.



“The only time we put a sulky on him is race-day. I train him on the Murawai Beach behind the 4-wheel drive with my partner Matt ((Bray). He does the driving and I’m sitting at the back with the horses.



“He always wants to go flat out. He’s happiest when he can do that. We can get up to 50km/h. Pete does a great job of driving him on race-day,” Kumeu-based Milina said.



She said she didn’t mind making the three-hour round trip to the beach to work the old boy.



“When he’s happy he races well. He can be a terrible puller when he doesn’t get his own way. I use a lot of natural products on him. I care for him like he’s my boyfriend,” Milina said.



Milina wasn’t kidding when saying that.



“I have two boyfriends and Matt will tell you I treat Moment Of Truth way better than him. The horse and I will retire together and he will always be with me.



“I love him so much. I hate claiming races because there is always the risk of losing him, but I won’t let that happen. I’ve already claimed him back three times and have bought him back once,” said Milina.



Moment Of Truth has now provided Milina with her most successful season as a trainer. He won three times for her in her debut training year last season and has won another three in 2015-2016. Yaldy Boyz has also won twice for Milina this season.



“I’m loving it. I just want happy horses and when you have got happy horses they tend to race well. Moment of Truth is one of a kind. He is precious. I feel he is part of me,” Milina said.



The bay gelding has now banked $247, 202.



“If he can’t go fast he gets the sulks. He didn’t like it when I retired him. He was moping about like a sad thing. All he wants to do is race. So how can you retire a horse when all he wants to do is race?



“He will tell me when it’s time to retire him,” the 50-year-old said.



If Moment Of Truth does turn out in 2016-2017 it will be his 12th consecutive season of racing.

Courtesy of Duane Ranger