Racing: Training skills rein in winners

Tony Herlihy typically played down his training and driving statistics for the 2004-2005 season when questioned on a cold wet evening at Alexandra Park, Auckland.

"Yeah, not bad, I guess - what are they again?" was the reply from "The Iceman" in the drivers' room.

Herlihy is at the top of the New Zealand drivers' premiership this season - which is no surprise considering he is acknowledged as the premier driver in Australasian harness racing.

But it is his training skills that are making people sit up and take notice this season.

Herlihy has had a magical driving season, scoring 94 wins and $1.1 million in stake earnings but that is just another "standard season" for the South Auckland-based horseman.

His training statistics provide plenty of personal satisfaction - although you wouldn't initially realise it when talking to him.

A total of 42 wins and $469,000 in stake money has Herlihy currently positioned in fourth place in the trainers' premiership.

"When I took out my trainer's licence it was always my intention to achieve the best results possible each season for my clients," said Herlihy.

"This season the stable has done a really great job as we have just the two free-for-all pacers, Sly Flyin and Maheer Lord, and we've won 42 races.

"I enjoy driving horses on race night and it has been a massive buzz for me this season winning the Great Northern and New Zealand Derbies with Badlands Bute.

"It takes good horses and a bit of good luck to win those big races and I've had that luck this season.

"At the start of the season I had all sorts of problems nursing Sly Flyin back onto the racetrack as he had a bad stone bruise that ended up infecting his entire foot.

"It meant that I had to bypass the New Zealand Cup Carnival and I was behind the eight ball with him from a fitness perspective at the Auckland Cup Carnival.

"It was after the Auckland Cup Carnival that I made the decision to base the horse with Michelle Wallis out at Waiuku.

"I felt that the change of scenery and easy access to a nearby beach would help improve his foot injury and get him back to prime fitness.

"It was the move that turned Sly Flyin's racing season around. He was a fitter and sharper racehorse and ran the race of his life when finishing second behind Elsu in the Inter Dominion Grand Final.

"I would go out and drive him in training on the beach out near Michelle's property and the salt water helped heal his injured foot. He's currently out at Michelle's property and is given some easy work three to four times a week including a bit of swimming."

Herlihy has a chuckle to himself when quizzed on which stable runners will be worth looking out for next season.

"I'm pretty confident that Sly Flyin will race very well in the free-for-all ranks next season but he'll need to, competing against Elsu and Just An Excuse.

"It has been great this season seeing a lot of the younger racehorses the staff here have worked on over the last 12 months stepping up and winning races.

"It's an important phase for any trainer having those younger racehorses coming through and doing the job.

"We've spent a lot of time this season working on and qualifying a lot of 2-year-olds that didn't race that will hopefully come out firing next season."

Herlihy is full of praise for two racehorses he has driven this season - Badlands Bute and Delft.

Badlands Bute completed the rare double of winning the Great Northern and New Zealand Derbies.

Herlihy was seen at his best in both Group One events settling the 3-year-old off the pace and timing his sprint finish to perfection to win.

"Badlands Bute is a wonderful athlete to drive as he has adaptable racing manners and you can race him anywhere in the field.

"He has gate speed and you can rush him out and drive him with a sit and he adjusts to whatever you ask him to do. Ray Green and Robert Mitchell [trainers] did an outstanding job getting him to peak fitness to win both races as he had a real difficult preparation."

Herlihy trained Delft before he was sold to leading North American owner Joe Muscara. The huge striding Sundon-sired gelding was returned to Herlihy after an unsuccessful North American campaign.

Herlihy recommended Delft go to Wallis as he believed beach training would give the gelding confidence on a racetrack.

The results were stunning - eight wins and a second - from 14 starts and Delft is acknowledged as the up-and-coming, free-for-all trotter in Australasia.

"When Delft came back to my stable I could tell straight away that he was not trotting confidently around my training track.

"I thought if Michelle could train him on the beach he would trot more confidently as the straight line training would not place any strain on his body.

"His first couple of race starts he didn't trot that confidently around Alexandra Park but he has been trotting like a monster since Christmas time."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY