Kingaroy trots to maiden success

By Mike Love 

Time has been a good friend to Kingaroy who won yesterday’s Thank You, Bill & Helen Bishop & Canty Equine Clinic Trot over 2600m at Addington at just his fifth start.

It was also Rakaia trainer/driver Jason Ford's second win as a trainer and his 25th in the sulky.

“He’s had plenty of time but it seems worth it,” said Ford. 

“He stuck on good.”

Kingaroy began well only to end up parked early. Ford finally found some cover from the 1300m where they received a reprieve until the 700m when Ford angled three wide to make his move.

Joined by race favourite Something Else at the top of the straight, the two booted away from the rest of the field, with Kingaroy and Ford fighting tenaciously to the line, holding on to win by neck from Something Else, with seven lengths back to the rest headed by Mollys Remedy.

“A year ago he couldn’t trot a yard. But he’s just been getting better and better. Hopefully there’s still some races left in him. Time’s a great thing for trotters.”

Looking forward, Ford believes the Majestic Son six-year-old will thrive in the upcoming spring and summer grass circuits around Canterbury - the first of which is only a month away, scheduled for September 7th at Methven.

“He has incredible manners.”

“I think he’ll be better on the grass.”

Kingaroy is bred and raced by Jason’s father Allan Ford - who Ford has driven the majority of his winners on.

“It’s the last foal out of the mare. The mare couldn’t foal, so the vet told me to walk away from them but I didn’t. So we lost the mare but kept the foal and this is him.” 

Other highlights on the programme saw a few licence-holders etching closer to milestone victories. A double in the sulky for Ashburton driver John Morrison (Arizonawildcat and The Bettor Major) brings his career total to 399, while Brendon Hill’s training win with Ultimate Seisation brings his training wins to 295, and Olivia Thornley’s winning drive on Didjashoutthebar brings her tally to 95 wins.