By Matt Markham
It’s taken close to three years to eventuate, but Henley Park finally has a tick in the win column.
And the patience of the Borcoskie brothers, Paul and Brent, has also finally been rewarded.
Having his 57th race day start at Timaru on Saturday, Henley Park did what he has promised to do since he began his career on the West Coast in 2012.
And Paul Borcoskie was pretty happy about – although he relented from the thought of a whip flourish.
“There are a few too many young ones out there for me to be doing that,” he quipped. ‘
“But it’s pretty satisfying to finally get there, because there has been the odd frustrating moment along the way.
“He finished second in just his second ever start and we thought he wouldn’t take long to pick one up after that.”
He stopped short of saying he was confident that yesterday would be the day, but Borcoskie said when you looked as his two previous performances, he showed he was going just as good as ever.
“He went 3.24 at Addington a couple of starts ago and then I thought he was pretty good at Kaikoura.
“It just shows though how tough it is for a maiden trotter in Canterbury – they are so strong.”
Trained by Brent at Sefton and driven by Paul, nine-year-old gelding by Armbro Invasion has hardly been a struggling maiden.
He’s always been there or thereabouts, thanks in large to his generally exemplary stand start manners.
Of his now 57 starts, 12 occasions have resulted in a top three finish while a further 22 starts have resulted in placings in either fourth, fifth or sixth position.
“I guess you could say he’s paid his way,” Borcoskie said.
“There’s been times when he should have won with the run he got, and then there’s been times where he’s been a little unlucky.
“Everything fell into place today though and he felt super on the home bend when I came out of the trail.
“I was a bit concerned when Dexter’s horse rushed at me, but he came to the end of it and this guy just kept on going.”
Regulars on the annual West Coast Christmas circuit, there’s no guessing where Henley Park is being aimed at – although Paul would rather there was a straight C1 trot instead of a handicap event.
“I think that’s going to be his go, those straight C1 races, with his manners he should be able to pick up a few more cheques before he’s finished.”
Brent owns Henley Park outright so the win was a real family affair.
The win is a great advertisement for the quiet achievers in harness racing and underlined that despite how many times one might get knocked down, there is always a chance at victory.
And no one deserves it more than the Borcoskie boys and Henley Park.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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