By Duane Ranger
As a child Josh Whittaker had a fascination with horse teeth.
Fast forward more than a decade and Whittaker’s unusual little passion has indirectly led to his first drive at Alexandra Park tonight.
“I remember when Bill Beck the dentist used to come to Dad’s (Jeff) stable I used to collect the teeth he had pulled out. I guess the fascination grew from there. I was pretty young,” Whittaker said.
Then when Whittaker left Lincoln High School a couple of years ago he was accepted into the Equine School of Dentistry in Melbourne.
“Mum and Dad wanted me to do something other than being a horseman so I applied for the course. Apparently it’s real hard to get in so when I was accepted I was rapt and I decided to give it my best and make a career of it,” Whittaker said.
To cut a long story short the 19-year-old is now a fully qualified equine dentist – a trade so sought after the young fella will be spending his next couple of weeks carrying dentistry work for at least 150 horses in the north.
“I think it’s a very important job and horses need proper teeth care to perform and be happy. Between the age of two-and-a-half and four-and-a-half a horse loses 24 baby teeth.
“A horse can have up to 44 teeth and it is important that they are healthy and the bit fits comfortably and doesn’t cut into the jaw or teeth. Horses should be done every eight weeks to three months; show jumpers every six months; and hacks and broodmares every year,” Whittaker said.
“In Australia they are have their horses done every eight weeks. That’s quite amazing really,” he added.
While travelling north Whittaker thought he would approach his friend Dave McGowan to see if there were any drives at tonight’s meeting.
“I’ve always wanted to have a race-day drive at Alexandra Park. I got keen a few years back when I had workouts drive there for Dave and Clare.
“Dave put me on to Mark Burley and thanks to him I have a drive on Friday. I can’t wait. Then when I take the colours off it will be virtually straight back to work again,” Whittaker said.
Whittaker will drive the Burley trained This Excuse Is Fine in the fourth event – the $8,000 Rutherford Rede Junior Drivers Mobile for the up to R56 rated pacers.
Whittaker’s only race-day win to date came behind his father Jeff’s Mach Three trained mare, Party Rage, at Rangiora on September 17 2015. The bay was the $32.30 eighth favourite and got up by a nose.
Whittaker has only had six drives this season for a third placing behind the Sam Smolenski trained Don Pierre at Oamaru on June 18.
All up his career record stands at 23 drives for one win and one placing.
“My career has halted my driving because I was away studying for almost two years. It’s something I always want to do.
“I’ll always remember that first win though. It was pretty special because Dad also co-owned and bred her,” Whittaker said.
He said he didn’t know much about This Excuse Is Fine but was heartened by his second at Cambridge Raceway a fortnight ago.
“I’m not sure how the horse will go but I’ll certainly be trying to win. It’s a shame the races clash with Addington because I was down to drive the Same Smolenski trained Don Pierre on the same night down there.
“I’ve driven him a few times and he’s got good form and will probably start one of the favourites,” Whittaker said.
Whittaker’s father Jeff, who trains at Springston, said he was proud of his son.
“It’s something he has always wanted to do and we get to see him mornings because he helps us out here as well. We wanted Josh to have a career to fall back on and he’s always loved harness racing so in some ways he’s killed two birds with one stone.
“He has done well, especially being accepted for that course in Melbourne. Since then he hasn’t looked back. He’s got plenty of work on and I’m so pleased for him,” Whittaker (Jeff) said.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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