Childers Road keeps on giving
Childers Road might not have been a pin up with punters at Globe Derby Park on Saturday, but he is a poster boy for owner-trainer Mel Kittel.
“I just love him,” Kittel said after Childers Road dashed up the sprint lane to claim the Bargain Steel Centre Pace (1800m) at the big odds of $34.
“He can be a bit quirky and has his own personality, but he has been a great horse for me and my son “Chicken,” Jason.
“Tonight was his 11th win for us and more than repaid the $3000 he cost.”
Seal had a short training stint back in 2005/2007 preparing 10 winners and now has had a further 16 victories since her return last year.
“I was helping Todd Weidenbach when he was training and had Childers Road,” Seal said.
“I decided to buy him so I could provide a drive for Jason who was starting to build his driving career.
“He is now 10-year-olds and had his 214th start tonight.
“He has proved to be a milestone pacer winning at his 150th start, then again at his 200th. When he is ready for retirement he will have a home with me – I could not part with him – he has been so special.”
Seal, who has just three horses in work, supplied the quinella with Childers Road winning by two metres from stablemate Magnetize ($9.50) with Twin Connection ($9) flashing home, a similar margin away third.
The trainer said she was delighted, but surprised, Jason has chosen Childers Road as his drive.
“I gave him the choice, and he made the right decision.
“We have been joking he was not getting it right, but he proved us wrong.”
Jason Kittel said he knew from barrier eight, gate one on the second row, Childers Road had an excellent chance if held the back of Butter Cup ($2 into $1.35 fav) which had gate one.
“In the warmup I could sense he was ready to race and when Butter Cup led I thought he might be hard to hold out,” Kittel said.’
It was the 21-year-old Kittel’s 25th win for the season, one shy of his career-best 26 recorded last year.
Top trainer-driver Samantha Hill gave herself a birthday present when the promising Imposter Boy led throughout in the Kevin & Kay Seymour Southern Cross Pace (1800m).
Heavily backed from $1.60 into $1.25 favourite, Imposter Boy drew clear over the final 100 metres to beat Shirley Not ($5.50) by three metres with Art Regal ($16), 5-1/2 metres away third.
Hill, who turned 28, on Sunday, is having a career-best season sitting second on the SA Trainer’s premiership with 51 wins and fourth on the driver’s premiership with 65 victories.
Imposter Boy, bred by former HRSA chairman and chief executive Mark Carey, is as talented three-year-old.
He ran fourth in the SA Derby behind Forty Love after finishing third to the same horse in a heat.
The gelding now has five wins and eight placings from his 21 starts.
On Saturday, Hill took him to the front and was able to get a slow second quarter before trainer-driver Darren Billinger, on Shirley Not, decided to test the favourite.
The pair went stride for stride for 700 metres before Imposter Boy drew clear in the home straight for a good win.
Another impressive three-year-old to win at Globe Derby Park was Im All Business, trained by Rosemarie Weidenbach, and driven by her son Kevin.
Another heavily backed runner, Im All Business firmed from $2.20 into $1.25 favourite, and won the Bianco Reinforcing Pace (2230m) by 10 metres from Places You Don’t ($26) with Bettor Be Lively ($26), two metres away third.
Winning driver Kevin Weidenbach said the colt was improving.
“He won well over 1800 metres last week, and was just as impressive tonight over 2230 metres,” Weidenbach said.
“He is likely to return home to Victoria shortly for a chance at feature races.”
Weidenbach also confirmed he was named after his grandfather who was heavily involved in South Australian harness racing in the 1960s and 70s owning a stud in Kadina before relocating to Victoria.
- Story Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga