“It’s a very strong field but they will certainly know we are there.”
They were the exact words from Clifton horsewomen, Lola Weidemann, when commenting about the Richard March trained Clintal Do, who starts from barrier four in Saturday night’s Listed $25,000 Badcock – Lucky Creed Open Pace.
It is the opening night of the 2019 Winter Carnival at Albion Park, and even though Colt Thirty One will be toughest to beat Weidemann still rates her chances.
“The horse and I get on well and he proved last start that he can win at odds. He always gives of his best and you can’t ask for much more than that. Richard has got him going along nicely at the moment,” Weidemann said.
Clintal Do went past $200,000 in stake money when winning the Group Two $50,000 Moreton Bay Redcliffe Gold Cup a fortnight ago at the Peninsula.
The 5-year-old Dawn Ofa New day gelding drew two that night and as a result of that half-head victory he has now won 24 of his 62 starts and placed in 11 others.
“I’m just so happy Richard has got another nice horse. Richard and I grew up together and have know each other for as long as we can remember,” Lola said.
“Our parents were friends and we used to spend a lot of time together. Now all of these years later we are winning Group races. I’m hoping we can get a Listed win on Saturday. I’m quite proud to drive for him.”
Weidemann, her sister Julie and niece Stacey, work 30 horses on their 2000-acre farm 49km south of Toowoomba on the Darling Downs.
Over the years Weidemann reckons she’s driven to the moon and back to get to race meetings.
“We’ve driven hundreds of thousands of miles to and from race meetings over the years, but we wouldn’t be doing it if racing wasn’t in our blood. We might do a lot of driving, but the sport keeps driving us,” Weidemann said.
“My mother and father always had horses and Mum (Maria) still owns quite a few. You can blame them for putting the racing bug into us.”
It takes the family three hours to get to Redcliffe Paceway and two-and-a-half to get to Albion Park. But it’s been worth it for Weidemann over the years.
The 53-year-old horsewoman has won a staggering 2,964 races since records were first taken from August 1, 1982. Amidst those wins is 18 Group victories.
“All Promises’ win in the Queensland Oaks was quite memorable and so was Misty Plain’s win in the $100,000 Group One race. Clintal Do’s last-start win was also very satisfying,” Weidemann said.
Clintal Do recorded a 1:59.1 mile rate when beating Ohoka Punter and Franco Totem in the 2613m standing start event last start.
Colt Thirty One (11) aside, Clintal Do (4), Rock With Sam (1), Cullenburn (3), Northview Hustler (5), Ohoka Punter (7), and Hughie Green (9) are all capable of pushing the favourite in what appears to be an even contest outside him.
The reigning Queensland Horse-of-the-Year follows out Cullenburn, which will help his cause at the start.
For the record, Weidemann drove her first winner behind Leander Lass in September 1983, and rated the late 2004 Ultimate Falcon gelding Misty Plains, as one of her all-time favourite horses.
“We bred him and he won 15 of his 29 starts and more than $150,000. He won a Group one and Group Three race and finished runner-up in a Group two,” Weidemann said.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
