Rising Star heat next for Rakero Maximus

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

Warwick Roberts is hopeful he has a Rising Star on his hands.

Rakero Maximus, who he trains and co-owns, produced a top effort fresh up at Addington on Sunday, winning the Betavet Thanks Clients and Industry Mobile Pace by nearly two lengths.

It was Rakero Maximus' first outing since January. 

"It was a great run considering he is only half ready - he's carrying about 25 kilos extra," says Roberts.  

So is there more to come?

"Hell yes!"

It's the Downbytheseaside three-year-old gelding's second win in seven starts - the first came on debut when he won a 2YO race at Addington by nearly six lengths last May. 

Now Roberts is eyeing up the first of The Rising Star heats at Addington this Friday.

The series is for up to two-win 3YO male pacers, with $15,000 heats this week and on August 14. The first four home in each is guaranteed a place in the $30,000 final on August 21.

"We'll see how he performs but there should be a lot of improvement in him," says Roberts.

Rakero Maximus will line up against what looks to be a very competitive field on Friday that includes the unbeaten Partytime and last start winners Nikolai Ray and St Paddy.  

Longer-term Roberts is hoping he has a horse that can tackle the 3YO Classics in the spring.

"His track work tells me he's good enough to be in a Derby."

Roberts is back training in 2026 after a long absence as he recovered from an incident at a Takaka dairy farm around 20 years ago. He was hit in the head by an irrigator. So serious was the injury that he says "for about 10 years I cannot remember anything".

As his health improved he got back into the sport including a three year plus stint working for Ronnie Dawe and Tom Bamford.

He still helps out at the stables as well as training his own small team based at Dawe's Rangiora stables.  

Rakero Maximus, who is raced by Dawe and Warwick and his wife Nicola Roberts, is his second winner this year, following on from his four-year-old trotter Sheep at Addington in June.

That win was especially emotionally for the Roberts' family. It was his first starter in more than 30 years and his first winner since Ceddie in 1992.

Sheep is likely to head to a junior drivers race at Ashburton in early August.

After a long time away from the sport Roberts is certainly making his mark - with high hopes there are more winners to come.  

To see the field for Friday's The Rising Star heat click here