Les and Marg McSween never gave up on their boy and at the ripe old age of nine, some four years since he’d last dusted off his racing shoes, their Jimmy Daniel made them proud.
The Noorat couple, who both turn 82 this year, will venture to Tabcorp Park Melton Friday night to cheer on their nine-year-old in the Empire Stallions Vicbred Platinum Country Series A Final, having gained qualification with a heat win at Terang on July 28.
The victory via Terang trainer Darren Cole was a remarkable result for the McSweens, with their Christian Cullen gelding, who they co-own with their son Tim, having not raced since May 27, 2012.
“Perhaps I’m a stubborn old man, but I thought he had more runs in him,” Les McSween said. “He is a nice horse and I thought we should give him another go.”
The foal of dam Carmen, a mare McSween trained to nine wins, Jimmy Daniel’s racing career started at age five when trainer Les and son Tim combined to place third on debut at Hamilton.
He was shifted to Geoff Webster’s stable later that year but failed to place, then had nine runs with Matt Craven in 2012 which produced two wins among modest competition at Mt Gambier, before a leg injury saw him return to McSween’s camp for a lengthy spell.
“I gave him two years off and then trained him, but our track was hard and he seemed to go a bit sore again so I put him back in the paddock,” McSween said.
But he didn’t lose hope, and at age nine and despite a career of only 15 starts with modest returns, Jimmy Daniel was sent to Robert Burns in Ararat.
“He has a sand track and he worked him for three months,” McSween said. “He did a good job with him, and then I sent him to Darren (Cole) and he worked him for another three.”
It’s fair to say the prospect didn’t exactly have Cole doing backflips.
“They asked me if I would give him a go and my first thought was who wants a nine-year-old who hasn’t raced in five years, but they are really nice people and so I said I’d give him a go.”
In fact much of the convincing was done by the McSweens’ grandchildren, who had worked with Cole at his Wheatsheaf Hotel.
“I gave (Jimmy Daniel) three trials and every trial he trained on well,” Cole said, creating great optimism for the gelding’s return to the track. “It is very rarely I tip a horse but I tipped him to everyone I know.”
Drawn outside the back row, driver Tim McLean moved his hope three-wide down the back straight for the second last time, taking the breeze at the bell.
There he remained outside Lommel until the final corner when the latter tired and Jimmy Daniel had only the straight separating him from victory. He laboured a little late but had enough in reserve to record a hard-fought win ahead of Jinxed Lover and Leica Patrick.
“I think it was a great run,” McSween said. “Darren said he thought it would go well and I was very pleased when he got up.
“I think he was struggling a little at the end but he kept fighting. It was nice to see it happen. I enjoyed it, it meant a lot to me because we persevered and it was nice that he came back and won.”
Cole said it was “a bit of excitement” for the connections, adding “Marg would make everyone smile, you couldn’t meet a nicer person”.
“(Jimmy Daniel) can run a nice half,” Cole said. “Obviously he is not going to go on and break records, but I think there is another two or three wins in him.”
The next could well come Friday night, but again he’ll have to overcome an awkward draw.
“He will just settle in the race and we will see how he goes,” Cole said. “If he is anywhere near his best he won’t be far away.”
For McSween, it’s just nice to have him back on track.
“I didn’t think he would get to Melton. It might be the only time we do, but it is nice to get a runner in the city. It’s just good to be there and hopefully we do well.”
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