By Rob Courtney
There were a number of feel good moments when Betterwithbling recorded his fourth win at Addington on Friday night.
It was Jesse Wederell’s 10th win as a trainer after first getting his licence in 2014 and it was the third win for his young driver Seth Hill after just getting his junior licence at the beginning of this season. Hill’s father Swannanoa trainer Brendon Hill was himself a highly competent junior driver back in his day when working for Pukekohe trainer Steven Reid.
For the record, Betterwithbling (Betterthancheddar – Reincarnation) has now had 54 starts for four wins and 17 minor placings winning back some $64k for the trainer and his uncle Tony (who did stints with top trainers in Richard Brosnan and Derek Jones).
“He is a very honest horse, lacking in a bit of top end speed but he is tough. Some might not notice but he also has had 12 fourth placings. That means he has run in the top four on 33 of his 54 starts,” Wederell says.
That he is a genuine racehorse is not surprising when one scrolls down his pedigree page. His dam Reincarnation (Holmes Hanover) is a full sister to cup class mare Kliklite (12 wins + $156k) who in turn left the top 2 and 3YO of her year in Top Tempo (11 wins + $240k), when trained by Graeme Rogerson. In Australia Top Tempo has been an absolute sensation as a broodmare leaving 10 winners from 10 foals, five of them $100k+ earners with Speak No Evil (16 wins + $354k) arguably the best of them.
Daughters of Top Tempo are now breeding on and the family is highly sought after.
Another half sister in Philosophy (Bo Scot Blue Chip) left the very good young pacer in The Court Owl who won close to $500k when trained by Mark Purdon.
For the South Canterbury born and raised Wederell, his recall suggested that horses had been part of his family from day one.
“My grandfather (Fred Wederell) owned Cardinal King and my mother later married Timaru horseman David Johnston, whose breed usually got named ‘Here Comes…..’,” he explained.
For those who can remember, Cardinal King won 10 races here in NZ and reached open class, racing the likes of Lordship, Waitaki Hanover, Humphrey and Great Adios before going on to a stellar career in America where he defeated the one and only Cardigan Bay in the Yonkers International Pace.
Wederell’s first winner was Garibaldi (Sands A Flyin) at Rangiora in 2014. He had purchased it and another Sands A Flyin yearling called Phil Monty after they had been advertised by Cavalla Bloodstock in the marketplace of the now defunct Harness Racing weekly.
“I got them up and going and then Victorian horseman Lance Justice bought them both off me at the same time and they went on to do a very good job in Australia.”
A butcher by trade, Wederell’s day begins early around 3am but by lunchtime he is then free to work his horses. He currently has a team of four and rents boxes and day paddocks from fellow West Melton trainer Peter Yeatman.
Apart from Betterwithbling, he has an unnamed 2YO filly by Art Major, gifted to him after curbing a hock, Neverhavtime (3g Art Major) and All Together Now (6g Auckland Reactor), the latter two in partnership with his ‘real life’ partner Eddie Collins who works for Aylesbury trainer Stephen Boyd.
There has been past interest in Betterwithbling but with Uncle Tony now retired, it would be hard to replace the much loved gelding so connections will just push on at this stage.
A mobile over 2600m at Addington looks attractive in the coming week and the trainer is sure he will try and retain the services of young Hill.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Seth. He is a top young man and gets on really well with the horse,” he said.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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