"Jaffa" rolls to sixth career win at Addington

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

It's not often that races go to plan. But that's exactly what happened with Radioactive Jaffa at Addington last night.

"It went perfectly didn't it?" says Radioactive Jaffa's breeder, co-owner and trainer Russell Kennedy.

"Wednesday meetings are made to order for him."

Starting off the unruly the Auckland Reactor 10-year-old was always going to get back in the Aotea Electric Mobile Pace. But driver Sarah O'Reilly had the gelding four back the running line with 800 to go before presenting him just before the home turn. As he has on numerous occasions previously he then produced his trademark sprint out wide.

A 29.5 second last 400 was good enough for the veteran pacer to swallow up the field in no time as he won going away by a length.

It was a performance straight out of the Radioactive playbook.

"That's exactly the sort of run he needs to get," says Kennedy, "he has to follow speed and then have one run at therm."

"Jaffa", as he's known, was second up this campaign after finishing an encouraging fourth fresh up the previous week. It was his sixth win in 72 starts, taking his career earnings to just a shade under $80,000 for Kennedy and co-owner Wayne Ivey.

"He had three or four months off over the winter but he's quite forward," says Kennedy, who trains a small team at Yaldhurst.

"He does need a wee bit of work. He gets hobbled runs twice a week as well as some free-legged strong work. We work him over three miles."

"It doesn't work for all horses but it works for him."

Radioactive Jaffa is likely to be a regular sight at grass tracks over the summer.

"He'll head to Methven next (Sunday, October 4) - he's very good on the grass -  and then we'll play it by ear."

Radioactive Jaffa's win last night was part of a winning double for O'Reilly. Her other victory was with See No Evil, who dominated the Last Chance To Book Kidney Kids Racenight 25 September Trot by nine lengths!

Sheree Tomlinson also had a double on the night with Sky News and Zhutee.