NZ HARNESS NEWS
Two of Jack Harrington’s favourite girls are on their way back to the track, but don’t expect to see them out toughing it with the big guns this season.
The young, up-and-coming trainer will begin the process of getting former Breeders Crown winner Renezmae back to the races after a long absence when she steps out at Wednesday’s Rangiora trials and open class trotting mare, Hey Yo came back into work last week after five weeks in the paddock.
And for Harrington the sight of seeing them both back in full flight is exciting.
“They’re flagship horses for me, so having them back around the place and in work is great,’’ he said.
“They’re at different stages at the moment and we’re not rushing to get to anything with either of them at this stage.”
Renezmae will step out in what will be the first of two or three trials for her before she heads back to the races having not been seen since the middle of last year.
A good break in the paddock has worked wonders for the now four-year-old and Harrington said being able to give her that good break was a nice change.
“We’ve been pretty busy with her since she was a two-year-old and she hasn’t really had that opportunity to get a good break,” he said.
“But she’s had four months out and has come back in fantastic order, she’s really bulked up and I’m very happy with her work – she’s still a little bit round, but that will come off with a few runs under the belt.”
With a 74 rating, placing the mare is going to be the hardest challenge for Harrington but he’s happy to potter around in the graded races for now.
A race like the Four and Five-Year-Old Trotting Championship may come into reckoning should she exceed expectations in her return, but it was unlikely.
Hey Yo was given a good break after her Auckland campaign in which not much went right, but Harrington isn’t that keen to get back up there with her anytime soon.
“She just doesn’t trot quite as well up there; she went great races and most of them were in NZ records, but she’s better the other way around.
“We’ll just potter around with her too and look to add to her credentials as a broodmare but there’s no real serious plans at this stage.”
With his two trotting stars back in work and ticking along, Harrington is also working with a promising line up of two-year-old trotters.
He’s got three engaged at Wednesday’s trials but has the most time for Musculature Metro, a Muscles Yankee colt who is a half-brother to Massive Metro.
“We had to scratch him from Addington the other night because he’s got an abscess, but I think he’s the best of them at this stage.”
- NZ Harness News
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