Once The Penny Drops learned to put his best foot forward success soon followed, and Ray Harvey’s trotter will look to add to that tonight when he steps out for the Trump Bloodstock Swan Hill Trotters Cup.
The five-year-old home-bred trotter’s path to claiming cups was more than a little unorthodox, but he’s thriving now for his hobby trainer, who joined SEN Track’s Trots Life today in the build up to tonight’s stellar card.
Confidence will be high after The Penny Drops MC Labour Kilmore Trotters Cup win last Saturday, but Harvey said tonight’s inside draw off the 10-metre mark will present driver Grant Campbell with early challenges.
“I’m not quite as confident as Kilmore, he’s drawn a bit awkward, he’s big, he likes a bit of room. He’s a big, long striding horse,” Harvey said.
“We need to get off the markers, I think, as soon as we can, but he’s done good since the other night. I can’t fault him. If we get off the markers he will give them something to think about.”
He’s priced as a $2.40 favourite for tonight’s Group 3, affirmation of how far he’s come since a somewhat inauspicious start to life.
“Ronny, that’s what we call him around home, he was born at home and when I broke him in he wouldn’t go forward, he just refused,” Harvey told Trots Life.
“(My partner) Moira (Hateley) walked past him and away from him one day and he followed her.
“She walked a lap of the track and Ronny just followed her and, ever since then, once he got the idea of what was going on he was good. But he was a bit on the dumb side to start with and then all of a sudden things started to click and that’s how he got his name The Penny Drops.
“He’s a real social animal. He’s got an old mate who he’s been with since he was a foal and he just gets on with anyone and everyone.”
Tonight's trotters cup, part of the Maori's Idol Trotting Championship, can be enjoyed live and free on TrotsVision tonight at 9pm, the headliner on Swan Hill's eight-race card that also takes in the Hygain Northern Region Championship Final.
LISTEN TO RAY HARVEY ON SEN TRACK'S TROTSLIFE:
TUNE IN at SWAN HILL on Thursday
First Race: 5.37pm Last Race: 10.35pm
Racecaller: Luke Humphreys.
Trots Vision: WATCH LIVE
SEN Track: LISTEN LIVE
RSN 927: LISTEN LIVE
LUKE HUMPHREYS ON SWAN HILL
RACE 3: LATHER UP 1:46.0 PACE
EARLY SPEED: 1? 2? 3, 5, 6, 7
SELECTIONS: COCO BEACH (8), WILD IMAGINATION (6), JUST A PHILTRA (7), ASHARAH (4)
RATINGS: 8 / 6 / 7 / 4 / 5 / 9 / 3 / 2 / 1
SUGGESTED BET: COCO BEACH (8) Each-Way
For tips and speedmaps for all races visit Good Form at thetrots.com.au
Winner of the Week
AMAZING DREAM, by Bettors Delight out of Christian Dreamer, a winner at Kilmore on September 24.
Breed your next winner with Woodlands Stud, supporter of Trots Centre
