By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
Evergreen trotter Bro Fawkes S is continuing to belie his age.
The 11-year-old trotter will have his 101st start for trainer Ray Darby in the Lone Star Alexandra Park Handicap Trot (2700m) on Friday and the South Auckland horseman doesn’t believe he is done with winning yet.
The son of Armbro Invasion has pleased in his last two outings, winning and placing at Alexandra Park, and Darby is hoping for a similar result this week.
“I thought he might come on a bit better than he did last start, but you have to be thankful for what you can get,” Darby said.
Darby was particularly impressed with his win two starts back, his first in four seasons.
“It was good to get that win. I was starting to wonder if he would ever win another race,” Darby said.
“When I got first involved with harness racing, a lot of the trotters were failed pacers that they converted to trotting. If they could trot the whole way you would win a race.
“Now, the trotters are so well bred and it is a lot harder to win races.”
Bro Fawkes S has been a pillar of Darby’s stable for several years and he said the connection that led the gelding to his stable was created back at school.
“I got him right from the start and we have tried to look after him. He is almost a foolproof trotter but just misses that real toughness,” he said.
“I knew his owner Gary Dormer from in our school days, we both went to Kelston Boys. We met again when he got involved in harness racing and he had horses with Tony Grayling.
“Tony decided to go to work for Woodlands and give up training. Gary knew I was involved with horses so he came over and asked whether I would be interested in training him and he would pay the bills and I would get a quarter share in him. He has been with us ever since.
“We have tried to be as patient as we can with him and not knock him around. You don’t want to sour them.”
That patience has paid off for the pair and they are hoping it will bless them again on Friday.
Darby will also line-up homebred Neymar on Friday and he is hoping he can score in the Lincoln Farms Mobile Pace (2200m).
