By Duane Ranger
Nine-year-old trotter, Dauntless, doesn’t win his races out of turn, but when he does Mangere fish ‘n chip shop owner Brett Edwards is happier than most.
The 47-year-old South Auckland horseman has driven Dauntless to three of his four career wins – the last three at Cambridge Raceway, the Thames Grass and Alexandra Park.
Even Edwards admits it’s been a waiting game.
The Pegasus Spur gelding’s neck win in the $7,000 Fiber Mix Trot from 30m behind at Cambridge Raceway last Thursday night came 14 months after his Thames triumph. That was two years 11 months after his Alexandra Park victory.
“We don’t win them out of turn do we, but I still like him and think he can go close again at Manawatu tomorrow. He’s very fit and ready to go a bold one again,” Edwards said.
Edwards, the son of Dauntless’s trainer Ted Edwards, has now driven six winners from 146 drives in a ‘hobby career’ spanning back to 1995.
“I do a bit more training these days because Dad is pretty busy with his main jobs. Jay Abernethy is taking the horse down today (Tuesday) and I will drive down with my daughter on race-day and drive him both days before coming home after Friday’s race,” Edwards said.
He said Dauntless was in an Up to R48 Trot last week and tomorrow he will start off the front in a R49 and faster event.
“It was an awesome feeling to win behind him the other night. His wins have been few and far between, but when they do come it is a real buzz.
“I’ve still got the bug and the family really enjoyed his win as well. The way he’s going at the moment I think he can be a real threat off the front tomorrow. He’s won over the distance (2500m stand) but this will be his first look at Manawatu,” Edwards said.
“It’s rewarding when he wins because Dad does the breeding side mostly these days while I do the training,” he added.
Dauntless is from his father’s breed which dated back to the late Wayne Francis 1974 Gerry Mir mare, Capucci. He is out of the unraced Game Pride – Capucci mare named Tat’s Pride.
Edwards senior has produced about 80 trotting and 50 pacing winners. The best of them a son of Royal Heights named Muscle And Power (by Muscles Yankee).
He won seven races and was a hot favourite in the 2yo Jewels Final at Cambridge (2008) when he was disqualified. His career was cut short by laminitis. Edwards (Ted) said he could trot 27.2 quarters for fun.
“The Game Pride mare Royal Heights was pretty good. She won six races. Actually the first horse I got was also pretty good too.
“His name was First Grade and I won 15 races with him after saving his life from the knackers yard at Bombay. I got him off Ray Norton and three months later he went eight seconds under the qualifying time,” Edwards senior said.
“I really want to breed that champion one day and I am not afraid to go to any good stallion, including those wonderful French sires,” he added.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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