20 February 2018 | Graham Fischer
At an age when most horses are heading into retirement, Brettoneux has only just begun his racing career.
Now 11, Brettoneux won at Kapunda on Monday, February 12, at just his third race start – and all have been this year.
Globe Derby Park trainer Vaughn Newman takes up the story.
“I’ve trained a few horses for a Victorian owner John Kennedy and he said a relative, Murray Goates from Werribee, had a trotter he wanted to send to South Australia.
“I’ve trained horses for more than 40 years, and always pacers, never a trotter,” Newman said.
“When John said the horse was 11 and had never raced I turned him down but said I would try to place him.
“A few trainers showed interest but quickly dropped off because of his age, so finally, I said okay.
Newman found out Brettoneux had actually qualified to race for Victorian trainer Amy Tubbs back in 2012.
“He then suffered tendon injuries in both legs and spent 4-1/2 years in a paddock before being brought back into training.
“I think John (Kennedy) worked him up before he came across to South Australia.”
Newman gave the gelding his first start at Kapunda on January 5.
“I had no idea what to expect and I don’t think Wayne (reinsman Wayne Hill) did either.
“The horse trotted safely, but slowly, before Wayne shook him up during the last lap and he made up good ground.
“Next start at Globe Derby (on January 15) I had something on him because I thought he had improved but he broke and lost a lot of ground before again trotting home strongly.
“He had never broke for me so I was shocked and mucked around with his headgear for last Monday’s race.”
Backed from $31 into $17.90, Brettoneux began quickly off his front mark and Hill found himself left 40 metres in front of the body of the field.
With the knowledge of the horse, Hill kept him trotting strongly running 30.1, 30.2 and 30.0 quarters making it basically impossible for anything to catch him.
Brettoneux scored a 12 metre win from Truscott Hall ($1.50 fav) with No Renege ($7.10), 16 metres away third.
“He did get tired running a 33.5 final quarter,” Hill said, “but he also knocked off a bit when I didn’t keep at him.”
Newman said the gelding had had 27 weeks of training for his races, so it was fair to assume, after such a long break, he would continue to get fitter.
Brettoneux’s next run will be in the $7000 Legends Trotters Final (2220m) at Kapunda on Monday, February 26.
Incredibly, even though he will be in his first full year of racing, when Brettoneux turns 12 on September 1, he will have to undergo a veterinary inspection each time he heads to the races.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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