By Michael Guerin
Colin De Filippi says he has delayed the comeback of champion trotter Stent to protect punters.
The winner of seven group ones last season, Stent has had the start of his new campaign put back two weeks by the threat of rain for his only grass track race of the season.
Trainer De Filippi was going to relaunch the millionaire trotter in the Bank Peninsula Cup at Motukaraka on Sunday but has pulled him out of the race for two weather-related reasons as well as his desire not to see punters probably do their money cold.
The first weather issue was Stent missing a crucial public workout last Saturday after rain in Canterbury saw them cancelled.
“I was actually surprised they canned them because a few other trainers went out there and organised their own unofficial workouts on the track and said it was all right,” said De Filippi.
“So missing that put us back a bit and now there is a bit of rain forecast for later in the week.”
That would mean Stent’s first race for the season would have been off a 30m backmark on a potentially wet track over a testing 2810m, all while giving one of his arch-rivals Sheemon a 10m start.
“Trevor (Casey, owner) wasn’t keen on that and either was I really so we will let him miss this week,” says De Filippi.
“There is another race at Addington in a couple of weeks and it is a long season so there is no need to panic.”
De Filippi says withdrawing Stent highlights one of the problems trainers of top horses face. “Part of the reason I pulled him out was to protect the punters,” he admits.
“Because of who he is he would have had a lot of support but it is tough to win a race like that fresh up.
“Sure, I’d like to win but off a handicap in a distance race I’d be reluctant to drive him hard to get handy in the middle stages, I prefer him to be running on or at least not have a gutbuster.
“That would make it hard to beat a horse like Sheemon but if I give him too easy a run he can’t win and that is bad for everybody.
“It happens a lot with the best horses when they come back to the races and it can be tricky for trainers and drivers to balance what is best for the horse with giving them every chance.
“So I’d rather not go through that and I am sure punters wouldn’t want to either. So we will wait a week or two.”
De Filippi says Stent, who won seven group one races last season, has strengthened even more this season and will follow a similar programme to last year, meaning an extended Victorian campaign at the back end of summer.
“He had a slight corn problem which we are now on top of but he has had that for years on and off. It is manageable and shouldn’t be an issue this campaign as long as we look after it.”
His withdrawal from the Cup on Sunday comes after Master Lavros was also pulled out with a poor blood report.
“He will go to Addington next week instead and I am still really happy with where we are at. He has never trotted better,” says his trainer Mark Jones.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
