A century for Waldron

By Michael Guerin

When Ben Waldron reached the biggest milestone of his career at Methven on Sunday he could see the funny side of it.

“That was the slowest century since Geoff Boycott,” says Waldron his 100th career training success.

Boycott is the famous England cricket player known for his notoriously slow scoring rate and Waldron, to be fair, has taken 27 years of training to get to three figures.

But in reality it is a hell of an effort, he has rarely trained big numbers or lined up a lot of horses in a season.

And he has started 2023 with a roar, Penny Weight’s win in the third race at Methven his third winner from just 10 starts so far this term.

“Things are going pretty well at the moment,” says the likeable 50-year-old.

“And I reckon this mare can continue that. She has a bit of ability and she isn’t finished yet.”

Waldron says driver Matty Williamson shares that opinion and you can see why after Penny Weight overcame missing away early to run down leader Beaudiene Quick Step for her first career win.

Waldron trains 12 horses at present at with his flying start to 2023 could be on track to challenge his personal best seasons of 12 wins in 2008 and 2009.

He rates his best horse as easily Mr Molly who won 14 of his 57 starts to make it to open class.

“He was my best and was a really good horse but I am still enjoying the training so I’ll keep at it.”

Waldron’s milestone was the highlight of a Methven meeting that saw the handy mare Champagneandwine bolt away with the main fillies and mares pace while Just Holla won the handicap pace.

The big trot saw the Lawrence McCormick trained and driven Vertigo down favourite Tu Tangata by a length after both came from the 10m mark.