The drop back in grade suited the Syd Breen trained American Mac at today’s Invercargill Harness Racing Club’s meeting at Ascot Park.
Having five wins under his belt, going into today’s Regent Car Court Southern Sprint Series the seven year old was facing horses who’d mainly won fewer races than he had.
Driver Mark Hurrell took full advantage of American Mac’s capabilities, spearing the gelding out of the gate to take up the front running role.
“He’s always had that speed but he’s got a wee chink in his gait. It was a great drive by Mark. He knows him so well. It’s like fly fishing, you can’t really take hold of him,” said Breen. “I was confident today because he was race hard and fit.”
Breen wasn’t sure he wanted American Mac (American Ideal) to start in the first race day of the Southern season, but he was convinced by his driver.
“Mark wanted to come here, I wanted to wait for Winton. I said to him that we’d draw seven he said it wouldn’t matter.”
That proved to be the case, with the gelding leading all the way, to win by one and three quarter lengths.
“Mark’s a real asset to me. He’s back down here working for Craig Ferguson, so he can drive them all at the workouts and trials.”
Breen has a small team in work. It includes a full and half-brother to Cheddar Made Beta and Trendy’s Bad Girl’s first foal by A Rocknroll Dance.
He runs a fairly low key operation these days and is helped by Stevie Heads.
“Since I had that heart attack and I have diabetes I don’t have a whole lot of energy to do a hell of a lot.”
Owned by Brian and Shona McLennan, today’s win was the horse’s sixth. He’s a half-brother to millionaire pacer Sokyola which won sixty six races for Australian trainer/driver Lance Justice.
Sokyola was developed by Merv Todd who was on-course today to see American Mac’s win.
View the Ascot Park results click here!
by Bruce Stewart
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