He aint ugly…he’s my trotter

HE HAS an appearance of a woolly mammoth and a head only his mother could love, but to his owners Right Of Reply is beautiful.

Runner-up upon debut in Cranbourne last month, Right Of Reply scored at his second start which came at Tabcorp Park Melton yesterday.

Pleased with the trotter’s progress, trainer Ken Tippet believes the ugly duckling has the ability turn into the proverbial swan.

“He goes along quite nicely and is putting it together well for a two-year-old trotter,” Tippet said. “He’s an ugly looking thing with a big head and small body and is hairy.

“He constantly looks like he just came out of a winter paddock and will never win any beauty contests, but he does trot well and is getting better as he goes along.”

Driven by Tippet, Right Of Reply began safely from the pole to settle behind the leader, Telephone Tilly before being shuffled back as Three One Two One and Quick Witted worked to the lead.

Angled away from the pegs at the 1200-metre mark, Right Of Reply gained the ideal one-one trip before being taken three-wide around the home turn.

Sprinting solidly along the straight, the son of Majestic Son completed a three-metre win from Mariachi, which was brave after racing in the ‘death seat’.

Quick Witted battled on to be two metres away third.

“After getting a nice trip I would have been disappointed if he didn’t finish like he did,” Tippet said. “He got to the line well.

“He’ll go around in Cranbourne next week then I’ll have a look to see what’s around for him.”

Co-owned by Tippet and Doug Moore, the gelding rated 2:09.1 over 2240 metres.