By David Nagel
Pakenham trainers put their ‘home-track’ advantage to good use last week with locals winning half of the eight-race card on a stunning Thursday night of racing at Tynong.
The usual suspects were there, with gun trainer Phillip Stokes preparing a double, but it was two of the more unsung heroes of the Pakenham training ranks that got the night off to a flyer.
Mick Huglin’s promising three-year-old gelding Silly Salmon took care of business in the opening race on the program, proving too strong under the urgings of Brett Prebble to take out the $35,000 Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1200m).
Huglin then handed over the reins to Colin Scott, a former Pakenham local who has spread his wings over the journey before settling back into the familiar surroundings of the Pakenham Racing Club.
It was almost a decade ago when Scott was taken on his most exciting journey in racing, when his talented gelding Speediness won over $1million in prizemoney…taking on the best of the best in Melbourne and Sydney racing.
Speediness won in both Group-3 and Listed company, but his quality was mostly defined in defeat, with multiple placings in Group-1 company including the Emirates Stakes, Toorak Handicap and George Ryder Stakes.
Scott and Speediness were the talk of the town at the time, emerging from the Pakenham Racing Club’s former training facility on Racecourse Road to mix it with the biggest stables in the country.
And while not in Speediness’s class, Scott may have found a new current star of the stable after his four-year-old gelding Denim Wars took out race two on the card, the $35,000 Four-Year-Old and Up Maiden Plate (1200m).
Denim Wars was formerly trained in Western Australia, at Ascot, by Daniel Morton, but was shipped across the Nullarbor after running last at Northam in early September last year.
That disappointing effort was his sixth career start.
Thursday night’s win was achieved at his seventh race start – and his first for the Scott yard.
The returning Pakenham local said it was great to see the son of War Chant/Calico Blue begin his career at the stable with a bang.
“It was, really, really pleasing, he’s quite a gross sort of a horse, when we got him, he was still a bull, we gelded him and he’s quite thick winded, so he’s quite a hard horse to get a gauge on where he’s at, fitness wise,” Scott said post-race.
“But he had a quiet little jump out on the poly track, and then a jump out a week later where Vlad Duric rode him and he jumped out really well.
“He settled out the back and Vlad was really impressed him.
“He said he feels big but he pulled up really well.”
Duric’s glowing report saw Scott enter for Thursday’s night race…but Denim Wars initially missed the field after being named an emergency.
“We put him in this race with the intention of just having a look, he ended up getting a run and we chanced our hand,” Scott said.
“Luke Nolen rode him an absolute treat, he rode him for luck, he had to get back because we were a little bit of a query with his fitness, but I think he’s a nice horse.
“I think he will get a trip…I think the horse goes okay…I think he’s a nice horse in the making.
“He’s coming off a bleed, been gelded, we’re looking after him with his bleeding issues, he’s done a great job this horse.”
Scott also had further praise for Nolen.
“He’s a great rider, he’s been a great rider for many a year, and I’ve had a lot of luck with him here at Pakenham…I thank him as well.”
Nolen rode a classic race, settling back in the second half of the field and riding for luck, not drifting any further than two horses wide for the entire trip to collar the leader – Harmsworth – in the shadows of the post.
Nolen believes Denim Wars will be even better for the outing.
“He had a nice run into the race, but then he got to them and probably peaked just a little bit late, so he’s open to further improvement which is really encouraging signs,” Nolen said.
“I think Col has got his hands on a nice improving horse, and placed to advantage the team are going to have a lot of fun.”
