POPULAR former New Zealand reinsman Jack Trainor continues an upward spiral in the leading driver ranks in Sydney and now boasts 135 winners for the current season.
More recently, Trainor has teamed up with Jason Grimson and between them they are kicking plenty of goals.
But he is still very much in demand as a freelance driver and averages around 50 drives a month.
His most notable recent win was aboard Our Antonia Rose in the Group 2 New South Wales Breeders Challenge True Blue Series 3yo Fillies Final at Tabcorp Park Menangle at the end of October.
Being based at Menangle gives Trainor the opportunity to regularly drive on the leading track where he has booted home 30 winners this term with a further 50 placings, earning stakes of just over half a million dollars.
Another track that Trainor is a regular at and where he drives his fair share of winners is Penrith and he heads there this Thursday to take the reins behind four runners.
“I like driving at Penrith; It is obviously somewhat different to Menangle given the vast difference in size,” said Trainor.
“Looking through my drives, no doubt Hollywood Rooki appears my best chance of winning.
“He has come up very short in the betting, so the pressure is on me to get him home.
“Jason [Grimson] has done a great job with him since buying the gelding from the Riverina.
“He won first-up at Bathurst and rated 1:56.5.
“Last start his effort to win at Canberra was massive when he rated 1:57.4 on the half mile track, where he led throughout and scored by about 16 metres.
“He is still very well graded on points so Jason should have a lot more fun with him.”
Hollywood Rooki has drawn well in barrier two which should enable him to lead and win.
Another in-form runner that Trainor will handle on Thursday night is Watching You Dreaming from the Brian Portelli stable.
“This horse seems to love racing at Penrith and has won two here recently,” said Trainor.
“Brian has his team racing well so this bloke should be hard to beat again from the two barrier.
“Navua Star (Race 3) has drawn perfectly in gate one and his form is also very sound.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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