Good comes in threes

Reinsman Matthew Williamson was the king of the trotting races at Ascot Park on Saturday, winning all three.

He won with The Badger, Danny Cool and Zhenya. It was the first time in Williamson’s six years of race-driving that he had won three trotting races in a day.

“They all had quite good runs but in saying that, they did go good,” Williamson, 24, said.

Zhenya, owned in Wellington by Reg Caldow, and Danny Cool, part-owned by Jim and June Lancaster, of Christchurch, are trained at Oamaru by Williamson’s father, Phil.

A flat tyre in the home straight didn’t prevent Danny Cool from winning by a comfortable five lengths in the Level One Restaurant and Bar Trot.

Owners John and Pam MacLeod, of Winton, bought The Badger and his dam, Uncatchable, in a package deal three years ago. The Badger was a foal at foot.

Now four, the Thanksgiving gelding won at his ninth start for Winton trainer David Larkins on Saturday.

Matthew Williamson notched his fourth win for the day behind Oamaru gelding Leonardo.

He was the only horse ownertrainer David Heffernan brought to Invercargill. In addition to the winning stake of $4375, Leonardo earned a Harness Plus bonus of $3000.

Williamson expected Leonardo to be prominent in the AON/Vero Insurance Pace.

“He probably should have won at Addington [May 8]. He got held up … we were in the trail and the leader stopped.”

The 4-year-old

Major

In

Art- Genes West gelding has been left in the care of West Plains trainer Matt Saunders for the Winton meeting on Sunday. The C2 race he will contest carries a Harness Plus bonus.

Heffernan is president of the Oamaru Harness Racing Club.

Seventeen rugby fans who drink at the Leeston pub, won the fourth heat of the Golden Girls Southland Series with their Bettor’s Delight mare, Sicilian Secret.

The supporters’ make up the Thirsty Thursday Syndicate, which shares the ownership with the Fini Mondo Syndicate and co-trainer Glenys Chmiel. She and her husband Terry train Sicilian Secret at Leeston.

Junior driver Stevie Golding settled Sicilian Secret back and saved her for one run at the leaders.

“You’ve got to drive her cold,” Terry Chmiel said.

“I had to use her early at Forbury [May 8] and she got parked.”

Sicilian Secret and stablemate Banora Boy (finished 10th on Saturday) were left with Westwood trainer Amber Hoffman after the Forbury Park meeting.