Presenter-driver-trainer Brittany Graham knows a thing or two about racing on both sides of the Tasman and now that the Queenslander is working for Trackside in this country she’s (reluctantly) agreed to write a weekly column.
By Brittany Graham
The connections of New Zealand-bred trotter Gus are hoping a return to his country of birth on the second Tuesday in November will be fruitful.
Gus is presently on the fifth line of betting with TAB at $10 for the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot on Cup day at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 11.
He will be part of an Aussie onslaught in search of back-to-back Dominion success following on from Just Believe last year.
Missing away on debut for Nathan Williamson back in March of 2023, Gus made amends in an astonishing win two weeks later despite again blowing the start.
It unsurprisingly caught the attention of many, including bloodstock agent Geoff Gibson-Smith who has combined with the Turpin-McMullen stable out of Queensland for great success for many years.
A deal was struck and the then four-year-old made his way across to Australia where he showed those glimpses of brilliance, in between his gait and manner fragilities.
He certainly announced himself as a future open class star during the 2023 Inter Dominion series, particularly in round two when putting it to star mare Queen Elida when eventually third.
Through 2024 he took many Winter Carnival features which put last year’s Renwick Farms Dominion Trot on the radar. However the wheels fell off at the end of that campaign and plans were shelved.
Now as a six-year-old he seems on the straight and narrow, appearing a much more well-rounded racehorse and far more reliable.
“His speed has been there since day one, but we just needed to get his manners right,” said his trainer and biggest fan, Chantal Turpin.
“I have loved him since the day he walked off the truck”
“He has so much character and is definitely a stable favourite,” she said.
That favourite status has certainly been tested at times, however the team’s belief and patience has developed him into one of Australia’s best, as proven when an eye-catching fourth in the recent Inter Dominion Grand Final.
“He has certainly matured but we also changed his work at home, he now warms up at the races and seems to thrive in his new routine”
That was on full display when producing an exceptional third in last Saturday’s Menangle Trotters Cup when producing a personal last mile in 1.52.5 after an early bobble turned his 10metre handicap into far more.
Described as his “best performance to date” by Chantal, some post-race comments from stand in driver Cameron Hart only furthered the stables hopes going forward.
“Cam gave me a lot of confidence on Saturday night with a glowing report, and it also proved that Pete and I aren’t biased towards him,” she laughed.
The young couple are now readying for their biggest challenge to date when they travel their little trotter to New Zealand for the first time.
“Gus is booked to fly over on November 2nd, before we plan on taking him to the Cup Day trials at Addington prior to the big one on November 11”.
