Borrisokane rewards patient owners

By Jonny Turner 

More than 22 months of patience was rewarded when Borrisokane strode away to win at Addington last week.

The pacer relished a drop in grade after taking on lead-up races for the New Zealand Cup when reeling off smart sectionals for driver Sheree Tomlinson.

The victory for trainer Regan Todd and owners John and Sandra Owens was the pacer’s first since he completed the second leg of his New Zealand Cup Week double back in 2024.

Being away from the races for close to two years may suggest Borrisokane ran into serious injury trouble.

But that was not quite the case.

“After his Cup Week double he got a bit of filling in a tendon,” Todd said.

“We could have patched him up and kept going but we wanted to give him a good break.”

“He was at John and Sandra’s and John was out there rubbing Runner’s Relief (poultice) on his legs every day.”

“We actually gave him a few wee preps, bringing him in and out along the way.”

“To be honest, just having him back even if he didn’t win a race is a big thrill.”

“He’s a lovely horse, he was a bit of a menace when he was younger but he’s with you all the way now and John and Sandra love him.”

Following his slick last-start win, Borrisokane will have another crack at grade racing at Addington on Friday night in Race 4, the VIP Passive Fire Mobile Pace (6.40pm).

“He looks like a big, rolling horse but he has actually got high speed to go with it.”

“He will follow speed all day, so I think one day he could pick up a nice staying race.”

“He will have another grade race this week, he will love the 2600m.”

“It is largely the same sort of field with a couple more in it, so hopefully he will go another good race.”

Having another grade start doesn’t mean Borrisokane’s New Zealand Cup hopes have been put to one side.

“We thought it was a good opportunity to get another run into him before he lines up against the better horses again.”

“He will go to the Canterbury Classic, there will be a few good ones there and they will be fitter for having a couple of runs.”

“Borris is improving all the time, he’s needed racing after having so long off.”

“He went super first and second up, then the Hannon run wasn’t as bad as it might of looked because he was too far back on the sectionals they ran.”