In the game of cricket, batsmen discuss reaching the ‘nervous nineties’ and being weighed down with pressure to reach their century. The period a batsman can spend only a few runs short of that milestone can feel like hours and when dismissed just short, the disappointment for the sportsman can be quite apparent.
The same can be said for harness trainers and chasing 100 winners in a season. Riverina trainer Shaun Snudden has been close in the past two seasons but has fallen agonisingly short. On both occasion Snudden reached 97 winners Australia wide but when he trained his 100th winner for the season at Albury on Friday afternoon, the relief was evident.
“Finally I did it, I had been that close the past two years and to get 100 winners in a season is quite an achievement considering a lot of my horses come from other stables,” Snudden said.
“I have 27 horses in work at the moment so it is a big operation, most stables normally get smaller during the winter months but mine tends to get bigger because I pick up horses from trainers that don’t want to work them during the colder months.”
Classiemahon’s victory in the ninth race at Albury on Friday was Snudden’s 100th winner for the season and he was happy the son of Jeremes Jet got him to the milestone.
“Classiemahon has been a great horse for the stable, the win on Friday was his tenth since joining the team and his results have given me great pleasure.
“I have had a lot of good moments during the current season but there are a few that I won’t forget including having my first Gr. 1 runner when Somelovesomewhere qualified for the Breeders Challenge final at Menangle and when Tim Tetrick drove a winner for me during the World Driving Championships.”
Snudden is one of the few leading trainers in NSW to have no family link to the sport of harness racing prior to his involvement.
“I am basically self taught, I had an embroidery business that I ended up doing out of my house so I could spend more time with the horses but after about six or seven years I decided to go full-time with the horses and I am happy I did.
“I do train my horses differently and I have had to refine my techniques because I do all of my work on the sand but I do what suits my horses and the results have been good.”
After being so close in the past Snudden admitted he thought 100 winners may never be a realistic target.
“At the start of the season I didn’t think I would be able to get there but about halfway through the year I realised I was right on target and to get there with more than a month to go in the season is great.”
Snudden is currently fourth on the NSW Trainers Premiership with 95 behind Shane Tritton, Steve Turnbull and Kerryann Turner and has now set his sights on training 100 NSW winners this season.
Greg Hayes
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