By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
With four second placings from just five starts, Biggles is overdue to break maidens in Race 4, the Fahey Fence Hire Pace, at Addington tonight.
The six-year-old has been a model of consistency with Geraldine-based trainer John Murdoch chasing an elusive win throughout Canterbury over the past month or so, since his debut second at Oamaru on March 24. At Ashburton on April 19 he went down by just a nose to Sister Love.
His latest performance was another second, a head behind Miki’s Courage at Addington last Friday.
“It is slightly down in grade and we are hoping to get a quid,” says Murdoch, “I know we are backing him up but his work has been good.”
Ricky May has driven him in all five starts so far and last Friday was aggressive in keeping Biggles’ mind on the job.
“He needs that sort of drive, he’s a lazy horse and he just keeps loafing around,” says Murdoch.
May will continue his association with the gelding tonight, with the TAB having Biggles a $2.20 favourite on the fixed odds.
Biggles is Jill Ireland’s fifth foal and by multiple Group 1 winner Tintin in America (16 wins, $934,305 stakes), with Murdoch acquiring the horse as a weanling.
Denise Ottley broke the horse in but his introduction to racing was delayed as Murdoch dealt with serious health issues.
Now he’s “fixed” and back enjoying training a horse he says “felt special” right from the start.
Murdoch mainly uses the Orari racecourse for jogging and fast working his team.
“It’s about nine kilometres from where we are.”
He’s had 25 wins since he started training in the early 1990s and has three in work including Robo Trouble (Race 6 – $23FF), and Essence of Easton who was his last winner, at Waimate in 2021.
He’s hoping Biggles can change that at 6.19 tonight.
