Garlick heads north to Cambridge tonight

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

Eight years since training his last winner there, Chris Garlick returns to Cambridge Raceway tonight.

He'll line up Rattle My Cage in Race 3, the IRT. Your Horse. Our Passion Mobile Pace.

The Captain Crunch two-year-old had his first run for Garlick at Palmerston North on November 10, finishing second to Tres Bonne Fille. 

"He whacked away ok but this is a step up," says Garlick, "it's a lot better field and a few more of them so he will have to go better to figure in the finish." 

Drawn the ace, Rattle My Cage is currently at $13 and $2.80 with the Matthew White-trained and driven American Falcon the hot favourite at $1.85.

It will be his fourth career start after starting out with Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan.

He was bought by Barry Purdon Racing Stables Limited for $42,500 at the 2023 National Weanling Sales at Karaka.

Garlick acquired the horse from them earlier this year and races him along with Kelvin Squire.

"I think Scotty caught me at a weak moment," laughs Garlick ,"and the horse ended up at my place." 

Rattle My Cage's appearance at Manawatu marked a return for Garlick to the training ranks after a seven year absence.

He trained on his own account and had one winner with In The Living Years at Cambridge in 2011 before going into partnership with Steve Telfer (of Stonewall Stud fame).

Together they trained 190 winners from 2012. Their last winner at Cambridge together was Lola Jones in 2017.

The next year Garlick took a break from the sport.

Between then and now he and his family relocated from Auckland back to his home town of Stratford in the Taranaki.

As well as training Rattle The Cage at the local Stratford racecourse he also runs his own "functional fitness gym" from his property and teaches part-time at the local school.

"It was a lifestyle change and a bit more time for the family and that."

"The girls (aged nine and five) have taken a bit of interest in the horses too so that's pretty cool."

As for Rattle The Cage's prospects?

"He has a bit of ability but he will need time as he gets on a knee."

"I barely put the hobbles on him in work so I do a lot of galloping with him," says Garlick, "and he does all the work by himself so it's hard to gauge where he's at."

"It's been a bit of a guessing game in terms of fitness and that."

He's likely to know a bit more after 6.39pm tonight.