House caps memorable week with a winning double

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

Michael House capped a memorable week with a winning double at Addington Raceway on Sunday.

Earlier in the week the dual code trainer claimed the gavelhouse.com Newcomer to Training Award for his deeds in thoroughbred racing, fulfilling a lifelong passion.

Fresh off the high of receiving the award, House was pleased to visit the winner’s circle at Addington Raceway twice on Sunday courtesy of Maximilian in the King Of Swing Standing At Cobbitty Equine Mobile Pace (1980m) and Santanna Mach in the Locharburn Standing At Phoebe Stallion Handicap Pace (2600m).

It was the third win of the season for Maximilian, a gelding House races in partnership with Bruce Negus, and he was happy to reward his fellow trainer with the victory.

“S Wigg in an amateur race, off the front, he was always going forward. He tried to throw it away but he won the race,” House said of Maximilian.

“Bruce Negus and I have won a lot of races together. He is a great guy and has been rewarded for his desire to have horses racing.

“We will just see what happens over the next few weeks. The programme is a bit average for the low-grade horses, they are all jelled in and mixed up. It is pretty hard to be tactical in what you do.”

Later on the card House was back in the winner’s circle welcoming back Santanna Mach after his 13th career victory.

“He is one of those horses we play snakes and ladders with and he found his race today,” House said.

“He will hopefully get another 100 starts and 13 wins over the next couple of years.

“He is very sound and easy to train. He will be around for a long time that horse.”

Reflecting on his Newcomer to Training Award, House said he is realising his dream of training thoroughbreds, his initial passion in racing.

“It is testament to great staff. I am living my dream a little bit. I probably should have been in thoroughbreds from the start,” House said.

“My passion is the thoroughbreds. When I was 15, I knew I was going to be too big to be a jockey, so I went to a harness stable.

“I have only done this (train thoroughbreds) because I have got two beautiful fillies that I have bred out of Ombre Rose, a Group One mare that we raced.

“I was desperate to train a couple of her progeny. We sold a lot of foals out of the family and have made good money out of it, and I wanted to stay in, so I bred to affordable stallions in Zed and Zacinto.

“That is my future in thoroughbred racing, plus whatever horses we buy off gavelhouse.”