By David Aldred
Skewbald pacer Ants Inhis Pants.
It is peak harness racing season on Brisbane’s northern peninsula at Redcliffe with the Group races taking top order at the city’s popular paceway tomorrow night and next week.
But right now it’s not one of the big name pacers in a Group race that’s attracted the local media’s attention – there’s a quirky looking and named three start maiden that has stepped into the limelight of the Redcliffe club’s carnival week.
The 3yo pacer, Ants Inhis Pants could become a public favourite with his striking colour making him standout among the field of bay and brown horses. The skewbald pacer has already has attracted interest from the Redcliffe Herald newspaper and that interest is tipped to grow when the youngster resumes racing, as soon as next week. Ants Inhis Pants, who is pegged to race in a 3C0-3C1 Pace at Redcliffe next Wednesday has impressed trainer Darren Hooper in two recent trials at the local Paceway, winning his trial a fortnight ago in a touch over two minutes and last night finished runner up in his trial won by Thebelleoftheball.
“He won a trial in two minutes as a 2yo and got everyone’s interest then, so the colt’s owners and I have been excited by his two trials this time in,” Hooper said. “I really like him, I’ve taken my time with him and I’m hoping it pays off. He paces really well, doesn’t do a thing wrong on the track, great manners which is pleasing for a colt. “Off the track he is a different spirit, a real boy, wired up like a 10yo kid on red cordial.”
Hence his name.
Hooper reckons that Ants Inhis Pants a brown and white colt from the Lord Snowtime mare Frilly Knickers could be something of a family enigma.
Harness Racing Australia records show that there has been just one lonely winner in six generations of the colt’s maternal pedigree – that was Rich Look, a bay mare from Karamea Magic whose only win was 25 years ago in a maiden race at Broken Hill.
On the plus side Ants Inhis Pants is by McArdle, a winner of $2.4m on the race track and somewhat of an achiever at stud with his progeny including four world champions, One More Laugh, McWicked, Big McDeal and Happy Dreamer plus Australian Triple Oaks winner Itz Nomoresuprises, Oaks winner Nike Franco and New Zealand’s G1 winner Tintin In America (now a successful sire).
“You got that right, there hasn’t been many to win from his family but this little bloke is by McArdle and that’s what makes him interesting to a lot of people, a coloured horse by McArdle is special, a fast one is even better.”
Hooper said plans are in place to attempt to make Ants Inhis Pants really special and very attractive to the many people that are watching his career from afar.
“There’s already interest in this colt from Ireland and the UK, so if he can do what we think he can, that’s break the world record for a coloured pacer, he will be in big demand overseas, Hooper said. ”
Currently White Fire, formerly trained in Brisbane by Wayne Waltisbuhl holds the world record for a coloured pacer, pacing 1.58 at Albion Park.
“There’s one (a skewbald) in the UK going pretty good right now so we are hoping to get a new record first,” Hooper said. “It will be good for Redcliffe and good for harness racing. “A local journo told me last night that the last sports representative from Redcliffe to hold a world record was Olympic swimmer Geoff Huegill, that was a little while ago now, so get the world record would be really big for the peninsula.”
The first of Redcliffe Harness Racing Club’s two big nights is on tomorrow night with a top field lining up in the Group 3 Garrard’s Patrons Purse ($30,000). The night also features the Garrard’s Redcliffe Yearling Sales Final ($25,000). Next week the club hosts their big Saturday night card featuring the Group 2 Redcliffe Gold Cup ($50,000) and the Group 3 Redcliffe Oaks ($30,000).
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
