by Wayne Currall
You get the impression after speaking with veteran trainer Bill Horn that he’s enjoying his time in the sun as much as his comeback pacer Heez On Fire. “He’s a good friend and we love going down the beach together,” Horn says of Heez On Fire, a horse that veterinarians at Murdoch University said would never race again. “He hasn’t got good legs so it’s hard to map out any program for him,” Horn said. “We’re just enjoying seeing him race. He’ll tell me when he’s had enough.”
Heez On Fire has returned to racing in a blaze of glory and Horn – the man who guided champion pacer Village Kid to such great heights – is loving the ride. “We had him entered for a race last week,” Horn said. “But the field fell away and the race didn’t eventuate. Never mind, he’s been going along nicely and he’s in on Friday night.”
Horn, the master of the understatement, delivered another gem with his comment “going nicely” as Heez On Fire has won brilliantly at all three starts since returning from a five-month spell with his victories being nothing short of remarkable.
Heez On Fire has been giving the leaders big starts at the top of the straight – remember Gloucester Park is an 800m track with a 143m home straight – and still mowing them down, sometimes in the very last stride. “He’s finished just like Black Irish,” one excited punter was heard to yell after Heez On Fire unleashed a scintillating sprint to overhaul quality performers Run Oneover, Ohoka Punter and Bettors Reward at headquarters three weeks ago when the heavens opened. Heez On Fire’s part-owner Rod Oliver was within earshot and replied; “No, he finished better than Black Irish.” It seems fitting that the horse that’s being compared to Black Irish – a pacer renowned for his brilliant last-to-first victories – was also trained by the master mentor Horn.
And so to Friday night, when Heez On Fire again takes on another quality line-up in the Princi Smallgoods Capretto Pace (2536m). Driver Aldo Cortopassi will let Heez On Fire amble out of the machine from gate six as the likes of pole marker Tricky Styx, Exciteusinthecity and Run Oneover battle it out for the early supremacy and Cortopassi won’t be too concerned if they go hard in front and he’s a long way off them as they wheel for home.
Heez On Fire has shown in his past three runs that he’s loving the attention he gets from Bill Horn and the Horn family and is paying them back in spades with his brilliant finishing bursts. “He’s a beautiful horse to train,” Horn says. “He loves the beach – we all do. Although I don’t go in as much as I used to. I’m afraid if I fell over in the water I wouldn’t be able to get up these days.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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