Poor form forgotten
TIMARU trotter The Dominator did not let blustery conditions stop him from dominating his rivals at Oamaru yesterday.
The talented type, who had broken in his previous six starts, got his act together in a frontrunning win over 2600m in race 6.
His faultless performance not only defied his previous form, but also yesterday’s tricky conditions as winds gusted across the Oamaru course.
‘‘With this wind, I was thinking we are in trouble today,’’ trainer Donna Williamson said.
But nothing put The Dominator off his game and he won in style.
The Dominator’s change in fortunes and behaviour does not mean Williamson will be making any big plans for the horse she describes as being mentally fragile.
Despite his lack of recent racing, Sam Galleon was too tough in yesterday’s feature trot, also over 2600m.
The Phil Williamsontrained squaregaiter had not raced since November last year at which point he was spelled.
Sam Galleon’s form slump could not be attributed to any specific problem so his trainer opted to press reset on his season.
‘‘He just wasn’t racing as well as he could. He was going OK, but not for a horse like him,’’ Phil Williamson said.
‘‘We couldn’t find anything wrong with him, but he just wasn’t quite right.’’
Yesterday’s feature pace winner, Boomer Bailey, was another who produced a tough winning effort in the wind.
The Graeme Telfertrained pacer was clearly headed by the swooping Franco Tristan and was yet to catch the leader, Rocki Warrior, when rounding the home turn. But he fought tenaciously for driver Tim Williams to score his fourth win at Oamaru.
Oamaru’s annual May meeting has traditionally provided Harness Jewels aspirants with the chance to seal their finals spots, but few did that yesterday.
Buzinga, trained by Cran Dalgety, was already safely into the 2yrold fillies final and her travel to Cambridge was booked before she won race 10 yesterday.
She gave her connections no reason to change those plans with her hardfighting win.
Runnerup Storm Prince issued a serious challenge that may have given those who backed Buzinga a few nervous moments on the turn, but she was determined not to let him past.
‘‘It was a good effort. She wasn’t going to let that other horse get past — she just kept sticking her neck out,’’ driver Dexter Dunn said.