David Walker and Scapolo won in Hastings last August. Photo / File
He is known in thoroughbred racing circles as Dummy and, my word, Kevin Myers has spat the dummy a fair distance in his enviable career.
Not only that but, on occasions, the astute trainer has chucked his toys out of the cot.
Asked how he got his nickname, Myers says: "I'm dumb. At school I did dumb things so the kids started calling me that."
The 58-year-old, who hails from Turakina, between Marton and Wanganui, is equally adept at humouring people.
He seldom engages with the media but this time he is dropping his guard to promote the JB Organics Hawke's Bay Spring Racing Carnival.
Myers is bringing, among other horses, Scapolo to race in the Makfi Challenge Stakes in Hastings on Saturday next week.
He labels the 5-year-old gelding as "an honest horse" which is "not the slowest".
"He's got a bit of form. He's just off the top tier," says Myers of the Oaks Stud horse bought at the Karaka sales.
Scapolo, sired by Bachelor Duke from the dam Kadesa, by Zabeel, will have David Walker in the saddle.
The combination won the 1200m Swiss Ace Sprint on August 31, 2013, in Hastings.
"We're hoping for a wet track because it's a bit of a challenge for him and shuts others out," says the trainer who has had prominent placings on the premiership and boasts a swag of major flat and jumps races in New Zealand and Australia.
Praying for wet weather won't be an issue, he says because "the whole family goes to church".
Scapolo does 1min 24sec on a rating 6 and 1:29 on a rating 11 although he has done 1:22 before.
Myers is no stranger to Hastings, having won the $1million Kelt Capital Stakes on Balmuse in October 2004.
His other horses of late include Titch, William of Orange and Prestigiosa.
While his answers tend to be short and sharp Myers packs a healthy dose of wit.
"I'd rather have a cheque book than a scrap book," he replies as he grapples to establish specific details of his winners.
Asked how jockey Walker goes, he replies: "Not too bad."
He hastens to add the jockey had 10 wins out of the last 20 starts.
Scapolo's last victory was at Riccarton on August 2 when he won the 1200m Open handicap Premier Sprint on a heavy track.
Last November the gelding won the group two Coupland's Bakeries Mile at Riccarton.
Two seasons ago, he went on a four-start Victorian campaign, collecting two wins and two placings including a Melbourne Spring Carnival second in the listed Myer fashion at Flemington.
Last May he was runner-up at Caulfield.
Myers has nominations to enter Scapolo at the 2400m Caulfied Cup on October 18 and the Moonee Valley 2040m a week later.
No doubt the Triple Crown here will be the ideal platform in building up to the Australian challenge.
He sees John Bary-trained Recite and Nashville as stiff challenges for Scapolo.
"If my horse wasn't running I'd back Nashville to win because he's fit and ready," he says of the horse trained by Adrian Bull, of Hunterville.
Ninety per cent of Scapolo's wins, pocketing about $100,000 here, have come within 1000m to 1800m.
Playing a game of patience is paramount and he prefers to keep his cards close to his chest.
Taking Scapolo back to Australia is a case in point.
"He might not be good enough.
"You never know with good horses but we'll see."
Myers has had his share of jousts with racing officialdom in more than 30 years of training.
His most serious one was in 2001 when he was found guilty of "committing an act detrimental to the interests of racing".
He copped a $3000 fine with costs of $2000.
It was alleged he had played down the prospect of horse Stacey Jones winning in a pre-Waikato Hurdles interview with Trackside.
In a post-race remark, Myers had revealed he had expected Stacey Jones to run well.
He vowed never to appear on Trackside again and has kept his word since.
"They [the media] didn't back me to win so I played along with them," he reveals.
His attitude towards punters is sobering.
"They can put their money where they like as long as they buy their groceries first."
A jovial Myers believes "it's been a bloody drought for me every week".
On a serious note, he has registered "a few big wins", including the Auckland Cup and Derby.
He lets young trainer Patrick Payne do a fair whack of his work while he "does a bit".
"I should have been milking cows when I'm training."
Asked what constitutes a good trainer, Myers says: "A good horse."
Trainers invariably have to take the knocks in a fickle industry.
"I go to the races like a cock pheasant and come home like a feather duster."
Racing is in the Myers' blood. His grandfather, the late Dan Myers, was into hounds.
Kevin's father, the late Bill Myers, took to horses.
Kevin Myers' daughter, Caley, 16, and sons Jason, 14, and Luke, 12, are all amateur riders.
His nieces, Kelly and Rosie Myers, are professional jockeys.
"I just love the sport," says the man who has about 40 horses in his stable.
He is indebted to wife Angela for managing the dairy farm when he's on the road.
"I've got to go milk cows now to earn a dollar to buy a pair of sandals," he says before signing off.