89-year-old trainer chasing first hat-trick in seven decades!
VETERAN horseman Norman Warland has offered a piece of advice ahead of today’s Club Menangle meeting.
If you’re looking for a winner at juicy odds, give his pacer Spot On Chic – which is engaged in the seventh event – strong consideration.
Taking the mare’s last two performances into consideration, you may be kicking yourself tonight if you don’t heed the trainer’s recommendation.
A lightly-raced daughter of Lombo Pocket Watch, Spot On Chic broke her maiden at her ninth start when successful in Goulburn at $41.
Venturing to Menangle for her next outing, Spot On Chic upstaged her more fancied rivals at $71.
As this article was published the seven-year-old was paying $51 on TAB Fixed Odds.
Should Spot On Chic win it will be the first time a member of Warland’s stable has completed a hat-trick in almost seven decades of training!
With Joshua Gallagher to take the reins, Spot On Chic has drawn to figure prominently from barrier two.
“Fifty-to-one is not bad value I reckon,” Warland said. “She’s worth a few bucks if you’ve got some dollars to spare.
“This field has a few handy types in it, and it’s asking a bit, but I think she is up to them and will have a small flutter on her just in case.
“I’m not much of a punter, but she is going good enough to have a bash.
“I’ll be very pleased if she wins but it won’t be a shock if she does.”
Warland bred and owns Spot On Chic, which is part of a family line the 89-year-old has had since purchasing Modern Tootsie as a yearling in 1983.
“I knew the breed which is why bought her grandmother all those years ago,” Warland said.
“She went alright and produced three winners from her five starters, including Spot On Chic’s dam, Modern Classic.
“I didn’t want to train two, so I made an arrangement with Glenn McElhinney and he has Spot On Chic’s brother Winamotza which has won four races.”
Following his father, George, into the sport during the mid 1950s, Warland believes improved safety is the best advantage the industry has undergone, but considers the drop in crowds as the biggest disappointment.
“My father always had a trotter, but I was into motorbikes and never really paid much attention to the horses,” Warland said.
“Then I got married and had to give up motorbikes and got bored so I started helping my father.
“I saw Popular Demand for sale at 100 pounds and I had a few ‘Bob’ at the time as I just sold a block of land, so I bought him as my first horse and he won at Kembla Grange for me.
“Safety is the biggest plus over the years as the tracks are so much better, but losing the crowds has been the biggest downside.
“The crowds at Harold Park were enormous every week and it is a shame those days are gone.
“Television and clubs opening everywhere have put a stop to people going to the track.
“As a spectator the sport is nowhere near what it was during halcyon days at Harold Park and the atmosphere is not like it was, but nothing stays the same forever.”
Typical of an ‘in my day’ elder, Warland has no doubt the champions of the past were superior to modern days stars…that includes the drivers!
“When they come off 36 yards, never see the fence and still sprint hard to win the Inter Dominion like Caduceus did, you have to say they are a champion,” Warland said.
“Horses these days would be looking for an oxygen tank if they had to run like that.
“It took very tough horses to do what they used to do. People might say times were slower but I wouldn’t take notice of that.
“Popular Alm went 1.55.9 around the old Harold Park track 40 years ago which was unheard of and he’d almost go 10 seconds quicker around Menangle.
“Even the trainers and drivers did it tougher back then.
“These young blokes are making good money from just driving but they wouldn’t last in those days without a job as you didn’t get paid to drive or get help to cover some of your costs if you finished last when you trained one.”