75's the number for John McDermott

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk

John McDermott was delighted with the result, and also the timing, of Hugo's eye-catching performance at Oamaru on Sunday.

"It was a real highlight," says the Prebbleton-based trainer, "I set myself a target at the beginning of the year to have 75 wins by the time I turned 75 years of age and I just made it."

McDermott is 75 today, just two days after Hugo, a horse he bred himself, delivered on debut, bringing up his 75th training success.

"I couldn't have achieved my self-imposed target in any better way!"

"Plus the horse is named after my grandson Hugo, who's coming up four!"

It was quite the start to Hugo's racing career. Drawn one, the Always B Miki three-year-old botched the beginning and settled a distant last in the Oamaru Jockey Club Supporting Hannon Memorial Day Pace.

"I thought he'd done his chips," says McDermott.

But Hugo was anything but finished. He tacked onto the back of the field and was still a clear last at the 600. He then worked his way into the race four wide before charging past his rivals to win by three quarters of a length. Unwanted by the punters he paid $17.50 and $2.60.

Earlier he'd gone to the trials, finishing third at Rangiora last Thursday.

"I thought he could be above average but he is a quirky horse," says McDermott, "sometimes his gait can be a bit rough but he's still learning and once he matures he'll be fine."

McDermott tried to sell the horse at the 2022 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales.

"But he didn't reach his reserve so we brought him home."

"Katie Cox broke him in for me and she liked him although he had a few wayward tendencies."

"And Blair Mills deserves a lot of credit too, he's done all the work with Hugo and has done a great job."

"With Blair and me it's been a couple of veterans in charge!"

It was McDermott's eighth win this season and his 75th career success, his first being with Jack Hinton at Rangiora in 2009.

"It's just so good isn't it? "My 75th win just before my 75th birthday."

As for Hugo's immediate future - "we'll head to Timaru in a fortnight and then he'll get a break."

"What he's done so far is on raw ability - he'll certainly be a bigger better horse in 12 months time."