Some of the bits and pieces that caught Tim O'Connor's eye in the world of harness racing...
THE HERO...
WALLY DUMMETT
You’ve just got to love the story around Lara horseman Wally Dummett and his emerging pacer Marjendos, who stretched her winning streak to four with a long-odds success at Bendigo on Wednesday night.
Dummett, who bred the daughter of Sportswriter and races her with wife Jen, was celebrating when the four-year-old charged to victory in a heat of the Alabar Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship.
“She’s named after three special women - my mother-in-law Marlene, who passed away last June, my wife Jen, and daughter Jayde, who’s known as Jaydos to her mates,” Dummett told Harnesslink’s Terry Gange last month.
“Marlene was a trainer at Lara and a huge help around the stables - she’d feed up, do all the stable duties. She was awesome.
“We actually race in her colours.”
Before Marjendos, Dummett had not trained a winner since 2013 when her mother, Penny Union, scored victory in August of that year.
The Alabar Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship Final will be run for $15,000 at Melton on July 11.
HOW GOOD WAS…
WALSHY BACK IN THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Passionate harness racing participant Chris Walsh bobbed up for his second Victorian driving success – and fourth of his career – at Terang on Wednesday afternoon.
Walsh endured a long wait for his first winner, with 117 losing drives from his debut in 2013 until he scored with Crime Boss at Stawell on March 7, 2022.
His next three triumphs have come in the space of five months thanks to Dancin With Elvis.
The 39-year-old won with the Jim Barker-trained veteran twice at Mount Gambier in February and April before the Terang result this week.
Well done, Walshy!
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR…
JACKPOTS
The jackpot cash has been spread out across four races this Saturday night at Melton.
The TAB has confirmed First 4 pools in races 1-4 will be boosted by $2,500.
$10,000 jackpots on the First 4 have been locked in for the opening event at Melton on July 5, 12, 19 and 26.
FROM THE RACING OFFICE...
It’s great to see that trotting events will be programmed again at Mildura.
These races will be primarily for lower-grade trotters and will appear in the meeting calendar from August.
The last race run for squaregaiters at Mildura was the trotters’ cup in April 2024, which was won by the Brent Lilley-trained Kyvalley Heist.
ONE FOR THE BLACK BOOK...
ZENARIO
Looking forward to the return of the McNaulty boys’ handy three-year-old, who has impressed at the trials in recent weeks.
The last-start winner of the 2YO Pacing Colts and Geldings Southern Cross Final at Globe Derby chased home free-for-aller Ultimate Vinnie at Maryborough on June 15 and then dashed past the handy Jetter Son at Bendigo on June 23.
The trials have been great and he looks in for a nice campaign.
SOMETHING TO PONDER...
While working on a little project to get James Herbertson back to speak at his former primary school in Ballarat, it got me thinking about how we could better promote the sport we love to the next generation.
It is expected Herbertson will talk to students next term, when he will discuss life as a driver and show off his sulky, whip, driving suit and helmet to those in attendance.
As we know, kids are impressionable at this stage of life and shining a light on harness racing through events like this can only be a good thing for the industry.
So why not more of it? Our participants are so giving with their time and visits into schools - especially around feature racing time when the local cup trophy can go on tour - should be something we all look to achieve.
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The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.