West Melton pacer Dadndave ran his rivals ragged in the Invercargill Cup on Saturday to score trainer Tim Trathen’s biggest training success.
Driver Brent Barclay had the 4yr-old in front soon after the start of the group 3 feature and they set a pace their rivals could not match.
Dadndave set a strong tempo in the middle stages but was still able to reel off a 56sec last 800m to win the 2700m handicap.
"It was a great drive.
‘‘I said to Brent he usually steps well, so it worked out great," Trathen said.
"This would be the biggest win for me."
Trathen races Dadndave with the two men the horse is named for — his father, John, and Dave McHugh, the proprietor at the Yaldhurst Hotel in Christchurch.
"It good for Dad because he’s been a bit sick and Dave’s got a few with us," Trathen said.
"I’m only allowed to drink at the [Yaldhurst Hotel] otherwise he’d probably take the horses off me."
Dadndave produced consistent form in three of his four starts at the recent Nelson and Blenheim meetings.
He took no part in his last run after galloping out, which came with a silver lining after some initial disappointment.
"He had just been thriving and he pulled up good, so we thought we would bite the bullet [in venturing south] and he can have a wee freshener after this."
"He had no luck, really, at Blenheim.
"He is a lovely wee horse. He has quite a bit of character about him."
Dadndave’s trip to last year’s Nelson meeting showed he had the staying prowess to win a feature cup like the Invercargill Cup.
He beat older horses over 3000m to win the Nelson Cup as a 3yr-old.
Dadndave’s Invercargill Cup victory is Trathen’s biggest success of the 32 winners he has trained since 1993.
"That would be the biggest win for me."
"I have a few, but I don’t race that many, just some with friends and family."
Trathen works as a farrier and also pre-trains horses for All Stars trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.
Runner-up Franco Santino sat on Dadndave’s back throughout Saturday’s race, but could not reel him in.
The first two finished more than five lengths in front of third-placed Kilowatt Kid.
Otago trainers won three races.
Smart Westwood Beach 3yr-old Spirit Of St Louis, trained by Graeme Anderson, bounced back after his Roxburgh Cup disappointment earlier this month to beat older and more experienced pacers.
The 3yr-old reverted to mobile racing after standing on the mark and taking no part in the Roxburgh Cup.
Spirit Of St Louis was too good in race 10 after sitting parked for the last lap for driver Matthew Williamson.
Forbury Park pacer Nikasa powered home from off the speed to win race 4 for trainer Darryn Simpson and driver Brent Barclay.
Consistent Roxburgh gelding Jacks N Jazz broke through for a deserved win in race 3 for trainers Geoff and Jude Knight and driver Brad Williamson.
