15 April 2015
Menangle trainer Peter Walsh has experienced some tremendous highs in the sport of harness racing. As the trainer of horses like Seelster Sam, Late Bid, Atitagain and Kentuckiana, winning feature races became almost monotonous in the late 90’s for the talented horseman.
Fast forward to 2015 and Walsh is looking to win his first Gr. 1 race since returning from the USA when Delightful Lana competes in Saturday night’s Victoria Oaks.
“Delightful Lana was flying when I was given her to train after the New South Wales Oaks, she has only had the one run for me since she joined my stable and that was in the heat of the Victoria Oaks,” Walsh said.
“I had planned on taking her to Bathurst for the heats of the Gold Bracelet but the day the nominations closed she had a temperature of more than 40 degrees so I had no choice but to scratch her.”
Walsh confirmed there were other horses in his stable that contracted the virus at the same time but Delightful Lana came through it well.
“The rest of the horses that caught it all went off their food but this filly didn’t she just kept on eating the whole way through, she is a tremendous eater and I think that helped her recover as quickly as she had.”
“I trialled her at Menangle on March 31 and I wasn’t expecting too much of her but she did a good job to finish third and any punters who followed the horses out of that trial would have had a good weekend because the first three all won races last weekend.”
After winning a race at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Tuesday afternoon with trotter Chevals Racer, Walsh hit the road and headed to Victoria to put the finishing touches on Delightful Lana’s Oaks campaign.
“I brought my two seven year old daughters down with me so they could catch up with their sisters. Travelling with the kids is always an interesting experience.”
“I gave Delightful Lana a hit out on Wednesday morning and I was a little bit concerned because there has been thunderstorms overnight and I thought the track might be a little bit sticky but everything was really good, I couldn’t be happier.”
The main danger to Delightful Lana could well be Makes Every Scents, a filly that Walsh has a soft spot for because of her breeding.
“I trained Makes Every Scents mother Scent to win a NSW Oaks, so there is an interesting connection there for sure.”
“The barrier draw has made it harder to work out but I think my filly has a very good chance.”
Walsh had his first runner back in Australia upon returning from America on April 17th 2012 and in the three years he has been back he has trained 91 winners. Saturday night could become one to remember if Walsh can snare that elusive Gr. 1.
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 31 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by an industry-appointed Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
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To arrange an interview or for further information please contact:
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Name:
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Greg Hayes
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Position:
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Media Co-ordinator
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Phone:
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(02) 9722 6600
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Email:
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ghayes@hrnsw.com.au
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