3 minute read

Owner-breeders Ricky and Marian Currie haven’t been in any rush to get seven-year-old gelding Big John to the track.

In Brief

• Patience is paying off for Big John.
• Top day for Byrne Burke.
• McCarthy rides early double.

 But their decision to delay the start of his racing career is now paying dividends after he won his second race this campaign in Devonport on Sunday in the Tasmanian Horse Transport Class 2 Hcp over 1350m.

Big John ($3.00 fav), ridden by Brendon Mccoull, settled at the tail of the ten-horse field before improving into the race off the track over the final 600m to defeat African Thunder ($10) by a half-length with Has The Look ($21) a head away third.

"It didn't pan out as expected early.

"He jumped and then knuckled just after the start. Brendon did a good job to stay on," said Ricky about the Adam Trinder-trained gelding.

Currie wanted to avoid pushing the gelding early in his career and didn't get him broken in till a three-year-old, who is named after the song Big John.

"I never raced him early as he has a little twist in his near side knee.

"So being a big horse, I didn't send him off to get broken in till he was three, and Wayne and Paula Brown broke him in at Sorell, and he had a couple of trips down for pre-training before he went to Adam's," recalled Ricky.

"Had I put pressure on him early, I don't think he would have stood up as he is too big," Ricky said.

Big John didn't race until a five-year-old and had three starts for three placing in his debut season.

He then wasn't seen for over 14 months till winning in Devonport on 6 August, which was a proud day for Ricky and Marian.

"It was probably as good of a day we have had at the races.

"Luke was home from Hong Kong and had his wife and two daughters at home, and his twin sister Kate came up from Blackmans Bay with her children. It was a big day when he won," Ricky recalled.

Ricky and Marian are unsure of the gelding's plans, leaving that up to the trainer.

"I don't know what Adam has got planned for him. He will work him out and has done a good job with him. Adam thinks he will get over a bit of ground," said Ricky.

Erica Byrne-Burke double

The win of Big John was the last leg of a training treble for trainer Adam Trinder, who is currently on holiday in the Northern Territory, with stable apprentice Erica Byrne Burke riding his first two winners.

Byrne Burke guided Vivilici ($5.50) into the winner's list in the Winning Edge Presentations BM68 Handicap over 1150m.

The six-year-old daughter of Needs Further raced outside the leader before drawing clear over the final 150m to score by 3/4 of a length to give Joe O'Neill his 1,000th winner of horses he has syndicated.

Sharma's Last ($1.40 fav) continued on his winning way in The Stables At Spreyton BM 76 Handicap.

Byrne Burke positioned the gelding outside the leader before racing away in the straight to score by 2 3/4 lengths to take his record to five wins from seven starts.

Hayley McCarthy was the only other jockey to record multiple winners on the program, with a double in the first two races.

She teamed up with Stowport-based trainer Klein Hamilton to score in the opening race with Moorboozie ($4.40) before winning aboard the Cameron Thompson-trained Flying Billie ($19) to the gelding's maiden win.