By Jonny Turner
Oliver Adlam got a timely boost when notching his first win as a trainer at Addington on Friday night.
The Ashburton horseman added to his family’s legacy in harness racing when Slainte produced a strong front-running performance in race 2 for driver John Morrison.
It wasn’t just a case of Adlam following in his father Simon’s footsteps with the victory.
Simon Adlam has had a hands-on role with Slainte, as his trackwork driver owing to Oliver breaking his leg in a rugby injury.
And judging by Slainte’s recent form, father and son make a great combination.
“Dad has been working him because I broke my leg and ankle and all sorts at rugby about six weeks ago,” Oliver said.
“Winning that race was a big thrill, it was real good.”
Adlam faced a massive ask when purchasing Slainte off Gavelhouse.com for $3000, which now looks something of a bargain price.
His task was to take a horse from New Zealand’s greatest ever trotting trainer Phil Williamson and progress it on towards the winner’s circle.
On the back of two tidy second placings, the young trainer did just that.
Adlam admitted he can’t pinpoint exactly why the horse is going so well, but he is thrilled that he has the trotter firing.
“Something is working, I am not sure what yet, but something is.”
Slainte is Adlam’s only horse in work and that is unlikely to change until he has gotten over his broken leg.
But he is considering taking on more in the future.
“I have just got him in work and I have got a two-year-old Superfast Stuart who is spelling at the moment.”
“I was working full time as a builder, so it was a bit tricky to have too many horses.”
“But I will just see what happens in the future, if something comes up I wouldn’t say no.”
Slainte’s win was the first leg of a winning double for John Morrison.
Morrison also drove the Dean Taylor trained Barnstormer to a deserved victory in race 11.
Among a busy weekend, Morrison takes six drives at Ascot Park on Saturday before heading back to Addington for a further five drives on Sunday.
