Jodi Quinlan will step through the Tabcorp Park Melton gates tonight aware she’s in for a rollicking ride with a fine line between pleasure and pain.
But, and it’s a significant but, if all goes well she could depart with a career night and a fitting tribute to one of her greatest supporters, the late Dr Martin Hartnett, a loyal owner and breeder who sadly passed in September but left behind a trotting dynasty.
Among her four drives tonight, Quinlan will take the reins of her “best horse” Illawong Stardust and then, in the following race, temperamental talent Cover Of Darkness, who’s chasing a ninth win from as many starts for trainer Emma Stewart.
Dr Hartnett and his wife, Kaye, bred both trotters from the lines of their broodmare Lunar Landing, and if they can overcome their difficult barrier draws it will be quite the fitting tribute.
“(Martin’s) horses have done him proud and if Stardust (who Kaye still owns) can pull off a win on Thursday night it would be the icing on the cake,” Quinlan said.
“He was always very proud of his horses and was a great owner to train for. He never complained and is an owner I’ll never be able to replace.”
While both of the trotters are race favourites, the breed is generally high on talent but low on tractability and a lot will have to fall into place to capture their respective Group 1s.
First comes Illawong Stardust at 5.58pm, who Quinlan adjudged her best chance providing she starts well.
“She’s by far the best horse I’ve got. She’s got a lot of bottom to her. She can sprint, not quite the speed of (Illawong) Armstrong, but if you want to put her in the race you can,” Quinlan said.
“I am very happy with her. She’s a little tired, but if she gets away (from the start) she will be a force to be reckoned with.”
The aforementioned Illawong Armstrong is the benchmark by how Quinlan measures a horse.
Also bred by the Hartnetts, he is a half-brother to Illawong Stardust and to Cover Of Darkness’s dam Illawong Moonshine, and according to Quinlan was “by far the best”, but his talent was often overshadowed by his attitude.
It’s a trait that is also apparent in Cover Of Darkness, who gets his Group 1 opportunity at 6.33pm tonight.
“They’re a fiery breed and you’ve got to keep them as settled as possible,” Quinlan said. “They’re very fizzy, they pull and gallop and are enigmatic.
“(Cover Of Darkness) is still green. He’s mainly naughty as far as he kicks and he’s cranky to handle.
“He’s a little different to the others. They have an outstanding sprint, he’s the toughest. He can do work but also sprint.”
And he’ll need to work tonight from his back row draw.
“It’s probably his biggest test, but I think he’s up to it.”
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