By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
What a way to bring up your 50th driving success.
Morrinsville trainer-driver Warren Rich achieved the milestone at Alexandra Park on Friday night on a trotter he also co-bred, co-owns and trains.
Snowy’s Success was having his second career start and despite being second on debut still went out at double figure odds ($17.90). He is by Majestic Son out of Rise to Success, a two race winner.
“I thought there were a couple better than us out there but on the night they weren’t,” says Rich.
The four-year-old gelding got an economical run in the Blanchard Racing Stables – Here For The Horse Trot. After being three back the fence Rich got a lucky break when leader Mass Disruption went up the track around the 700 metre mark. That left Snowy’s Success in the trail turning for home. He then darted up the passing to win by more than a length.
“I could see the one outside Todd MacFarlane’s horse (Pirayas) poking through but I didn’t know how quick it was coming,” says Rich.
Not quick enough as it turned out, with that horse Whatever It Takes grabbing second with Pirayas third.
“It was a good win, any win’s a good win.”
Of his 50 wins, half have been as an open or junior driver and 25 as an amateur. His first win came when he was a junior driver with Dilemma Mill in 1992.
A farrier by profession, Rich trains a small team at the Morrinsville track.
His pinnacle moment in the sport came in 2002 when he and then training partner Mike Berger quinellaed the New Zealand Cup with Gracious Knight and Facta Non Verba.
As for Snowy’s Success, just where he starts next is a bit up in the air.
“He threw a spanner in the works by winning,” Rich laughs, “I thought he was going to line up in a maiden next week but he’s won now so we will have to re-jig our plans.”
It’s a good problem to have.
