By Dave Di Somma, Harness News desk
Red Rackham has started October the way he finished September – and that’s by winning at Cambridge on a Tuesday.
The Vincent gelding has turned into a midweek marvel, winning five times there in his past six starts. The only time he didn’t win he was second.
Fittingly his success last came in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Tuesday Pacers Final Mobile Pace while the Stephen Doody-trained Sweet Olivia took out the Garrards Horse and Hound Tuesday Trotters Final.
The finals were eligible to horses that had had at least two starts at Cambridge since August 1. Both races had stakes of $12,500 and were penalty free to the winner.
For all his success the Arna Donnelly-trained Red Rackham still paid $11.40 for the win.
“He’s gained a lot of confidence from these Tuesday meetings and he’s racing in a great vein of form,” says Donnelly.
Last night Red Rackham was driven for the first time by in-form junior driver Harrison Orange.
Drawn seven over 1700 metres, Orange took the four-year-old to the front, as is his usual racing style, and he was looking good turning for home, only to veer out over the concluding stages. Precious Bet looked to actually get his head in front before Red Rackham rallied to win by three quarters of a length.
“Once he gets in front he feels pretty big and brave and that’s where he seems to be winning his races,” says Donnelly.
Before he started racing at Cambridge on a Tuesday on August 6 he had been winless in his first 12 starts, with his best effort being a second at Alexandra Park in July last year.
“He’s found his spot,” says Donnelly.
Now Red Rackham has a very handy career record of five wins from 18 starts and earnings of just over $33K.
It’s just reward for breeder Bee Pears and owner Kym Kearns.
When the horse was sent to Donnelly he had a major health scare.
“He pulled a shoe about this time last year and he ended up having surgery because the infection went right up his foot nearly to the pedal bone.”
“Kym stuck by him and went ahead with that (surgery) so it’s nice he’s repaid her this way.”
Nicknamed after Red Rackham, the pirate captain in The Adventures of Tintin, the horse’s debut run was a sixth at Cambridge in May 2023.
Donnelly is still working out where to next for the Cambridge specialist and he may yet be tried again at Alexandra Park.
“He’ll be a nice Country Cups horse later in the piece so whether we trek down to Manawatu for some of those Cups later on but the way he’s racing he’s low enough rated (R56) to probably be competitive again at Auckland.”
“So it would be nice to spin him around and see how he goes.”
