One Change airborne at Ashburton

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

One Change is flying at the moment and he continued that momentum at Ashburton Raceway on Saturday when winning the Ashburton Trotting Club Legends Mile (1600m).

The son of Bettor’s Delight was launched off the mobile arm by driver Blair Orange to take an early lead and was kept honest throughout by Classie Brigade.

One Change proved too brilliant down the straight, securing a three-quarter of a length victory over Pembrook Playboy, with Corravalley Star a further 2-1/4 lengths back in third.

It was One Change’s second consecutive win, giving trainer Amber Hoffman a huge sense of satisfaction after a six-month build-up following an injury induced layoff.

“He went super today and he actually pulled up better than he did at Addington (last start), so that was really good,” Hoffman said.

“It has taken a while to get the fitness into him, he is a good doing horse, but now that he has reached peak fitness everything is going well.”

His owners have taken a patient approach with the triple Group One-winning five-year-old who was formerly trained by Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.

The latter approached Hoffman last year believing beach training would benefit the gelding, and that has proven to be the case, with the gelding placing in the Group 3 Invercargill Cup (2700m) two starts back before posting back-to-back wins.

“I am stoked for the owners and everyone involved in him. A lot of work goes into him, so I am rapt to get the results with him,” Hoffman said.

Hoffman is looking forward to the future with One Change and lofty targets are not out of the question, with part-owner Trevor Casey a slot holder for the rich $900,000 The Race (2200m) at Cambridge Raceway in April.

While that remains a dream at the moment, Hoffman said she is just taking it one race at a time with her charge.

“We will see how he pulls up, there is a free-for-all race on the 18th of March at Addington that we might look at,” she said.

“It is really exciting and if he can stay happy and sound we are going to have a bit of fun with him.

“He did that pretty easy today. He is getting better each time.”